Somewhat Unusual Omani Khanjar for Comment

[kahnjar1]

Hi Teodor,
It would seem that your thoughts on restoration are much like mine. Repair/replace what is missing/broken and remove any rust or corrosion to prevent further deterioration. I have seen old pieces ruined by over restoring. These pieces afterall are relics of a bygone era and should (in my opinion) reflect that.
Nothing wrong with your pics and they are certainly MUCH better than those of the original listing!
That wave pattern is also familiar to me but I can't place it either. It does not appear to be Omani though. None of my Omani Khanjar have this pattern, nor do any of them have brass scabbards.
I vote for Indian origin.
Regards Stu

[Vaarok]

I'm glad you like it, and sorry- I did what I could for pictures. Figured someone on here would probably get it, and glad to see I was right. I personally picked it out of an estate auction I was hoping to pull a Winchester 1873 frame from, but after five hours of waiting, ended up with only aching feet and the khanjar.

I've seen some marvelous restorations done here, and at the very least I expect better conservation than what I could provide, so I got my satisfaction from the piece simply being a conduit. After eBay fees, I think I made $9, not counting gasoline spent.

[ariel]

Wasn't it in Elgood's book that Bukharan masters worked around Arabia ( mostly in the vicinity of Persian Gulf ? ) and some weapons reflect their influence?

[TVV]

Originally Posted by ariel

Wasn't it in Elgood's book that Bukharan masters worked around Arabia ( mostly in the vicinity of Persian Gulf ? ) and some weapons reflect their influence?

That would make a lot of sense. I need to read Elgood's book on Arabia more carefully. I actually need to read all Elgood's books more carefully, but there is so much information there that if I were to get quizzed on it, I would certainly fail.

Vaarok, thank you for a very pleasant and easy transaction. The amount you netted from the item probably did not cover your gas, but if it is of any consolation, I like it a lot.

I still have not decided on rstoration. I might replace the missing "turquoises" because it is something, which is easily reversible in case someone else does not like the idea of having non-original stones added to the scabbard.

Regards,
Teodor

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Very interesting pictures , very clear photos... I expect they cleaned up nicely. In Oman they use a brass wire brush to take off the silver oxide.. I find toothpaste works wonders too. Hmm... On the right I reckon Indian but certainly not Omani. I can hardly believe the hilt is Ziraff(Rhino) I would have expected to see some translucence in the edges but it looks like bull horn or possibly wood. Normally Rhino would be the choice on a stunning and very tasty weapon... perhaps its a lesser horn... but I might be wrong!
The laft dagger is Omani but... look at the dagger as I think its a missmatch as the silver pattern isnt the same and the base of the dagger looks slightly too narrow ... It would not be unusual by the way as many a dagger is switched to a different scabbard .. Its almost a national sport! Ive seen a few brass or possibly gilded wire stitchings below the belt section but only probably 2 or 3 in 30 years of collecting Khanjars here... Usually its silver wire. I would say its from the Oman Coast as its a "fully stitched" below the belt "4 ringer". Great pictures and thanks for displaying ... I have a new camera and must add some myself...

[TVV]

Very good observations Ibrahiim, thank you! Looking forward to pictures of your khanjars - I can certainly learn a lot from you.

Regards,
Teodor

[Lew]

The hilt definately looks like wood to me. Still an interesting piece.