Please help on an Islamic sword

fernando · 21st October 2006, 04:06 PM

Please Gentlemen, i need as much help as i can, on this piece.
I don't even know how to name it. The blade is 14" ( 35 cms. ) long.
The mountings are both copper and brass, apart from the scabbard mid section in velvet ... all looking original. The blade has no damage.
The inscriptions in both blade sides look ( just look ) Arabic to me.
The seller had previously mentioned that, the shape of the scabbard tip was intended to look like something, but i don't remember what, maybe because i got skeptical about it.
I kindly ask for your coments, both identifying the piece and the inscription script type or translation.
Thanks in advance
fernando

fernando · 21st October 2006, 04:09 PM

one more

S.Al-Anizi · 21st October 2006, 04:16 PM

Looks like an Indian dagger made in an arab hejazi style to me.

fernando · 21st October 2006, 05:12 PM

Thank you S.Al-Anizi
Any idea of what is written in the inscriptions? Maker's mark, Owner's name, verses of the Quran ?

Robert · 21st October 2006, 09:42 PM

The end of the scabbard reminds me of the decorative covers I've seen used on the end of elephants tusk.

Jim McDougall · 22nd October 2006, 03:18 AM

Hi S.
If I can recall correctly, are these Hejaz daggers termed 'sabaki' ?
I agree this does appear to be of Indian production, especially with the familiar velvet on the scabbard.
Best regards,
Jim

S.Al-Anizi · 22nd October 2006, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Thank you S.Al-Anizi
Any idea of what is written in the inscriptions? Maker's mark, Owner's name, verses of the Quran ?

Sorry fernando, I cant make a word out of that. It could be urdu, or one of the many languages that use the arabic script.

fernando · 22nd October 2006, 04:03 PM

Thank you all for your postings.
Robert, i remember now that the seller associated the scabbard end to a certain poisonous snake, but i don't think he had a strong basis. I well understand your relating this part to the elephant tusk ornaments.
Hi Jim, great info, as usual. I will search into Sabaki.
I confess my ignorance, as not being able to look at this specimen and distinguish which parts are of Indian ( Islamic ? ) influence, and which have an Arabian ( Hejazi ) shape, as i have no basics to judge it. A little help would be much wellcome.
Thank you Andrew, for your kind coments on he koftgary work. These inscriptions were the strongest factor which opened my pocket, to pay an absurd price for this piece. No, the Seller doesn't know its provenance. He bought in auction with an Arms lot. He remembers having concluded that these were kept well stored in the same place for three generations, and this dagger would be from the 3/4 19th century ... but all very abstract.
The more direct sign to its age use is the velvet section, with its comb worn off, and the one only worm hole through cloth and wood.
I am dying to know what kind of wording is these inscriptions.
Kind regards

fernando · 22nd October 2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S.Al-Anizi

Sorry fernando, I cant make a word out of that. It could be urdu, or one of the many languages that use the arabic script.

Thank you anyway for your help, S. Al-Anizi.

Andrew · 22nd October 2006, 03:48 AM

The koftgari looks pristine, Fernando. Did the seller provide you with any provenance or an estimate of age?

21st October 2006, 04:06 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Please help on an Islamic sword Please Gentlemen, i need as much help as i can, on this piece. I don't even know how to name it. The blade is 14" ( 35 cms. ) long. The mountings are both copper and brass, apart from the scabbard mid section in velvet ... all looking original. The blade has no damage. The inscriptions in both blade sides look ( just look ) Arabic to me. The seller had previously mentioned that, the shape of the scabbard tip was intended to look like something, but i don't remember what, maybe because i got skeptical about it. I kindly ask for your coments, both identifying the piece and the inscription script type or translation. Thanks in advance fernando Attached Images

21st October 2006, 04:09 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	one more Attached Images

22nd October 2006, 04:03 PM	#8
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Indian made, Hejazi style Thank you all for your postings. Robert, i remember now that the seller associated the scabbard end to a certain poisonous snake, but i don't think he had a strong basis. I well understand your relating this part to the elephant tusk ornaments. Hi Jim, great info, as usual. I will search into Sabaki. I confess my ignorance, as not being able to look at this specimen and distinguish which parts are of Indian ( Islamic ? ) influence, and which have an Arabian ( Hejazi ) shape, as i have no basics to judge it. A little help would be much wellcome. Thank you Andrew, for your kind coments on he koftgary work. These inscriptions were the strongest factor which opened my pocket, to pay an absurd price for this piece. No, the Seller doesn't know its provenance. He bought in auction with an Arms lot. He remembers having concluded that these were kept well stored in the same place for three generations, and this dagger would be from the 3/4 19th century ... but all very abstract. The more direct sign to its age use is the velvet section, with its comb worn off, and the one only worm hole through cloth and wood. I am dying to know what kind of wording is these inscriptions. Kind regards Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 22nd October 2006 at 09:40 PM.

21st October 2006, 04:16 PM	#3
S.Al-Anizi Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arabia Posts: 278	Looks like an Indian dagger made in an arab hejazi style to me.

21st October 2006, 05:12 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Thank you S.Al-Anizi Any idea of what is written in the inscriptions? Maker's mark, Owner's name, verses of the Quran ?

21st October 2006, 09:42 PM	#5
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	The end of the scabbard reminds me of the decorative covers I've seen used on the end of elephants tusk.

22nd October 2006, 03:18 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Hi S. If I can recall correctly, are these Hejaz daggers termed 'sabaki' ? I agree this does appear to be of Indian production, especially with the familiar velvet on the scabbard. Best regards, Jim

22nd October 2006, 03:48 AM	#10
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	The koftgari looks pristine, Fernando. Did the seller provide you with any provenance or an estimate of age?