Sabiki question

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by harrywagner

Hi Stu,
I think they are very similar. I would be surprised if they were not the same maker, same period. I am curious now about it's age. i thought that it was post WWII, given it's high polish. How old do you think it is? An item's age has never been a primary concern for me, and good thing too, since I really stink at it!

One of the things I really like about this knife is that the chape of the scabbard is a spent cartridge shell. I am new to this and have not handled enough Sabikis to know if this is the norm or not. Are they all (this maker, this period) like this? Thanks again! Very helpful.

Harry

Hi Harry,
Well after seeing the rhomboidal blade shown by Lofty, which incidentally I used to own, I had another look at those I still have in my collection, and find 3 with blades of this type. As Lofty says it is very hard to get a clear photo of the profile. All 3 are old late 19th or early 20th c pieces.

Now to try and explain the difference between newish and old Rashaq hilts. The older hilts are decorated with thicker and better quality silver than the newer ones being offered, which have thinner silver. The "saw" edge decoration on the newer ones is quite sharp and well defined, and the strapping is thinner, but on the older ones the saw edge is usually worn and not as sharply defined.
Shineyness means nothing, just that the metal has been highly polished, and this should not be taken as a way to judge the age. Patina and wear are more reliable ways. As I said before the last one you show without the belt looks to me to be of better quality, (and therefore older) than the other one. The fact that both appear to be from the same maker means nothing in terms of age.
The use of cartridge cases to provide a finial to the scabbard seems to have been a common practice, as several of mine have this feature.
Stu