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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Greetings To All !
Attached are a few pix of a Jambiya that I acquired some time ago. The handle is made of amber, the fittings on it are silver and brass. The blade is sharp and it does not appear to be a 'decorator piece'. A coin embedded in to the handle is from Oman, dated 1961. The design appears to be of a design common in Yemen. Any comments and information on it would be most welcomed and very much appreciated ! Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to help me in the past ! Sincerely, Mark.... Wapwallopen, PA |
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#2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
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Hi Aurangzeb
I have a jambiya much like yours but mine is an older one. I bought mine from Artzi's table at the Maryland show. Artzi thinks it's an old Yemen style jambiya and my friend Saleh who is from Yemen told me it is a style that is found along the border between Oman and Yemen. Here are some pics of my jambiya with a close up of the hilt. The silver is a good grade and is quite heavy. Your jambiya is quite nice and I like the amber hilt ![]() Lew |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hi Louieblades!
Thanks for the help on my jambiya I.D. problem.My dagger is definatly no older than 1961.The coin on the hilt was an origenal part of the dagger not a later addition(it is firmly planted on there and nailed through the amber handle out the back where it is fasened with a silver stud in the shape of a flour.) The amber handle on it feels very nice in the hand and is very well carved,definatly not made for decoration! ![]() Question how are these held?I have read that they are held going down sugesting a downword stab but with a curved bade chould glance off and come back at the user.(beleive me accedent involving a curved razor knife and a block of soft wood at 10:00 at night is not fun! ![]() Thanks again for the help! P.S.-any typos are because I am typing this at 11:30 at night! ![]() |
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#4 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
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Hi Mark
Jambiyas are more for show today and a status symbol in many Arab countries. I guess it could be used as a dagger to slash or stab? The mid rib in the blade was used to stiffen the blade and it also acted as a armor piercer against chain mail but that was hundreds of years ago. Lew |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hi Louieblades!
Thanks for all the help with my jambiya.I still like the fact that there are still craftsman in Yemen and Oman that practice the age old tradition of quality dagger/sword making.But I can say it must be slightly uncomfortable sitting down with one of these on the front of a belt! ![]() Thanks again for the help! |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: B.C. Canada
Posts: 473
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Hi Mark,
Is there any way to get a close up of the handle? Amber seems a unlikely material to use. I have heard of giraffe horn or hoof used which looks like amber (I think Derek posted a shotel with a similar grip). I have never seen this myself and wonder if anyone here who has, will comment. Thanks Jeff |
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