A koummya- and contexts

[Pertinax]

Finally found a decent cummiya.

A prestigious item, a good forged blade, ivory (not banned in my country), silver, and gold plated.

I welcome your comments.

[Sajen]

Hi Yuri,

A most beautiful koummya, congrats! Are you sure that the handle is from ivory? Is there something missing at the handle?

Regards,
Detlef

[corrado26]

In response to post #35 I dare to show you two of fife Koummiyas of my collection. Their dimensions are total length 450mm, blade length 230 mm, width of blades 23 mm and weight ca. 1000 g each.

These Koummyas come from the collection of the former, world-famous tennis champion Baron Gottfried von Cramm, born in 1909, who lived in Wispenstein Castle near Alfeld. In 1951, von Cramm founded a transport company for the cotton trade in Egypt. In the same year he married the then richest woman in the world, Barbara Hutton, as his fifth husband.

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hi Yuri,

A most beautiful koummya, congrats! Are you sure that the handle is from ivory? Is there something missing at the handle?

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef, thank you!

I might be wrong about the ivory, but if it's sperm whale or walrus tusk, which was very rare in the Middle East and Morocco, the item's value increases significantly. And ivory was transported from Africa to ports in the Maghreb for several centuries.

Yes, there was probably something on the handle, but how can we tell now? Although, note, it's the inside of the dagger.

I have a sperm whale tooth; I could make dagger handles.

Sincerely,
Yuri

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

I might be wrong about the ivory, but if it's sperm whale or walrus tusk, which was very rare in the Middle East and Morocco, the item's value increases significantly. And ivory was transported from Africa to ports in the Maghreb for several centuries.

Sorry Yuri,

It looks more than bone to my eyes, camel bone maybe?

Regards,
Detlef

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Sorry Yuri,

It looks more than bone to my eyes, camel bone maybe?

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks, Detlef!

I'm not very knowledgeable about bone types, and I don't have a camel bone, so I can't compare.

Here's a photo for comparison:
Dha - elephant
Tooth - sperm whale

I'd appreciate any comments; I want to get to the bottom of this.

Sincerely,
Yuri

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

Thanks, Detlef!

I'm not very knowledgeable about bone types, and I don't have a camel bone, so I can't compare.

Here's a photo for comparison:
Dha - elephant
Tooth - sperm whale

I'd appreciate any comments; I want to get to the bottom of this.

Sincerely,
Yuri

Hi Yuri,

At the hole of the back handle scale I see something like porousness as well at the side view so I guess that it is some sort of bone but like always I could be wrong.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hi Yuri,

At the hole of the back handle scale I see something like porousness as well at the side view so I guess that it is some sort of bone but like always I could be wrong.

Best regards,
Detlef

Thanks, Detlef!

The hole is sealed with glue; apparently, there used to be some kind of decoration there. I cleaned the hole a bit and examined it with a magnifying glass and flashlight. The structure is dense and non-porous, with no visible dentin. The thickness is similar to the ends of the handle.

Sincerely,
Yuri