Souks of Oman

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 11th May 2014, 05:10 AM

Muttrah Souk. The entire Souk will be demolished and a new souk constructed over the old site. The program is expected to be completed in the next 2 years.
Before it disappears here are more pictures of the souk and its contents. This is the best store in the souk... the good stuff is at the back of the shop which is like Aladdins cave...

Just dropped in for tea and then lunch overlooking the harbour...Its a hard life !!

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 11th May 2014, 05:14 AM

Hooplah !!! More....but when it comes to rare...just look at the Abu Futtilah ready made up charges ! These are museum quality and absolutely dead rare items. Note the decoration on the Ivory cylinders. These would be carried on the waist belt. The owner isn't selling these...that likely means they are from his personal family collection ...and in turn that means the shop is digging deep into its private stocks of choice original items .. to give an air of antiquity to the store. This store maintains a healthy link to local specialist workshops refurbishing sword blades and daggers...An example of new work is the dagger with the white hilt Ivory ...with the big red "Yacoob" stone on the pommel top. The blade looks like part of a sword ..There are several other busted/recycled sword knives.

Also below is a rare striker and combination tool in serpentine form.
A very small 3 inches across...powder flask in brass with copper wire and a steel spring...This carried powder for the pan...not the barrel charge.
A small Yemeni or Saudia work knife scabbard (knife gone) and another complete with knife of similar providence. The long dagger is from Saudia.

Not a great deal of Yemeni work about as I was saying previously the tendency is for the gap to be filled by Persian and Indian/Afghan work and the other odd appearance of shop owners personal collection items...which is very interesting !

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 11th May 2014, 05:19 AM

My favourite(or one of them) was this curved Kattara of almost Shamshiir blade proportions...whereas "normally" Omani Kattara are fairly broad blades...This one on a finely worked hilt and scabbard. Date of rehilting ...about January 2014.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 15th May 2014, 05:17 PM

Every now and then...something quite startling appears in the souk... In this case 4 coffee pots that have not seen the light of day for a half a century...exquisite and incredibly rare Omani Coffee pots like these were once common here...and they just joined my private collection. You will recall that as a weapon of assassination how important the coffee pot was for poisoning !!

Coffee anyone?

Kubur · 16th May 2014, 11:54 AM

Dear Ibrahim,
Is it possible to buy and to bring back a kattara from your country?
Is it allowed by the custom?
Thanks
Kubur
( we plan to visit the country next year)

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 16th May 2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubur

Dear Ibrahim,
Is it possible to buy and to bring back a kattara from your country?
Is it allowed by the custom?
Thanks
Kubur
( we plan to visit the country next year)

Salaams Kubur..Assuming the country you are in allows it...we certainly allow export.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 16th May 2014, 05:23 PM

Muttrah in front of the Souk in the not so distant past...Pre 1970...and now..and at #1 the new corniche; an elevated dual carriageway which sweeps along what was the beach.

11th May 2014, 05:14 AM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Hooplah !!! More....but when it comes to rare...just look at the Abu Futtilah ready made up charges ! These are museum quality and absolutely dead rare items. Note the decoration on the Ivory cylinders. These would be carried on the waist belt. The owner isn't selling these...that likely means they are from his personal family collection ...and in turn that means the shop is digging deep into its private stocks of choice original items .. to give an air of antiquity to the store. This store maintains a healthy link to local specialist workshops refurbishing sword blades and daggers...An example of new work is the dagger with the white hilt Ivory ...with the big red "Yacoob" stone on the pommel top. The blade looks like part of a sword ..There are several other busted/recycled sword knives. Also below is a rare striker and combination tool in serpentine form. A very small 3 inches across...powder flask in brass with copper wire and a steel spring...This carried powder for the pan...not the barrel charge. A small Yemeni or Saudia work knife scabbard (knife gone) and another complete with knife of similar providence. The long dagger is from Saudia. Not a great deal of Yemeni work about as I was saying previously the tendency is for the gap to be filled by Persian and Indian/Afghan work and the other odd appearance of shop owners personal collection items...which is very interesting ! Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 11th May 2014 at 05:55 AM.

11th May 2014, 05:19 AM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	My favourite(or one of them) was this curved Kattara of almost Shamshiir blade proportions...whereas "normally" Omani Kattara are fairly broad blades...This one on a finely worked hilt and scabbard. Date of rehilting ...about January 2014. Attached Images

15th May 2014, 05:17 PM	#4
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Every now and then...something quite startling appears in the souk... In this case 4 coffee pots that have not seen the light of day for a half a century...exquisite and incredibly rare Omani Coffee pots like these were once common here...and they just joined my private collection. You will recall that as a weapon of assassination how important the coffee pot was for poisoning !! Coffee anyone? Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 15th May 2014 at 05:28 PM.

16th May 2014, 05:23 PM	#7
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Muttrah in front of the Souk in the not so distant past...Pre 1970...and now..and at #1 the new corniche; an elevated dual carriageway which sweeps along what was the beach. Attached Images

11th May 2014, 05:10 AM	#1
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Muttrah Souk. The entire Souk will be demolished and a new souk constructed over the old site. The program is expected to be completed in the next 2 years. Before it disappears here are more pictures of the souk and its contents. This is the best store in the souk... the good stuff is at the back of the shop which is like Aladdins cave... Just dropped in for tea and then lunch overlooking the harbour...Its a hard life !! Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 11th May 2014 at 05:57 AM.

16th May 2014, 11:54 AM	#5
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Dear Ibrahim, Is it possible to buy and to bring back a kattara from your country? Is it allowed by the custom? Thanks Kubur ( we plan to visit the country next year)