Accidental collector - old weapons ID assistance (Yao?)

[Sajen]

Yes, indeed, it seems that we all have been wrong with our believe of Asian origin for this daggers.

[Gavin Nugent]

GOLD STAR Jampot! Great detective work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

African gets my vote, I have seen this confirmed but I can't recall...Algeria?

Gav

I'll settle for a silver star

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

[spiral]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

GOLD STAR Jampot! Great detective work.

Quote:

I'll settle for a silver star

Bronze star I think Gav. Algeria as far away as India from Malawi I reckon!

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

Damn... hippo pegs! Wonder what the horn ones are?

Originally Posted by ariel

They were just discussed on a Russian forum Guns.ru

I thought they were SE Asian, but to my chagrin learned they were from West Africa, Yao tribe, Malawi. Apparently concentric circles are a dead giveaway.

Another Gold star for Ariel I think though...



spiral

[ariel]

Thanks, but the Gold goes to my Russian colleagues who identified it. I was just a messenger.

[Richard G]

The good old Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford) never disappoints.
Regards
Richard
http://databases.prm.ox.ac.uk/fmi/iw...ne&-loadframes

[spiral]

Originally Posted by Richard G

The good old Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford) never disappoints.
Regards
Richard
http://databases.prm.ox.ac.uk/fmi/iw...ne&-loadframes

Thanks Richard, sadly my pc seems not to work with there database... what software is required to show there data. files?

spiral

[spiral]

Originally Posted by ariel

Thanks, but the Gold goes to my Russian colleagues who identified it. I was just a messenger.

Much research in the classroom is just finding a source. You've still got a gold star. despite you being a member of the usually English Self depreciating society.

But yes your Russian colleagues certainly deserve a gold star as well!

spiral

[Richard G]

Spiral,
I don't think I have any special software, but in my setup, Windows Vista and Google Chrome, you do have to untick the pop up blocker in Google Chrome if you want to see the individual item. I had no trouble doing the search and getting to the list I hope you could see. For reasons beyond my savvy, I noticed some pictures appeared in the "pop up" which were not on the original search results'
Hope this helps.
Richard

[spiral]

Ahh Many thanks Richard, Im on windows 8.1 but was using explorer. Ill give chrome a try on it.

spiral

ps.. great chrome works with it indeed!

A lovely example!

Acquired in Malawi 3 September 1893. bought at auction 1901..

Interestingly the steel is clearly more primitive at this date...


I rather suspect the Scots Run African company , had these made on locally, with British/Indian overseers... { Based on no evidence whatsoever though... }

spiral

[Richard G]

Ibrahim,
I fear I have not explained my thoughts clearly. What I meant is that certain jambiyas/khunjars that appear in reference books and whose attributed origin many of us accepted as fact turns out out be doubtful, at best.

For example the Ruth Hawley dagger, attributed to Oman and probably the Sharqiyah in particular.
Why?, almost certainly because it was collected there.
Now we think it is probably Saudi Arabian.
Why?, because it has the characteristics of a Saudi Arabian dagger.
Explanation. A Saudi Arabian type of jambiya made in Oman? or a Saudi Arabian jambiya that has found its way into the Oman?
If it was made in Oman it is an Omani dagger, if it was made in Saudi Arabia and collected in Oman it still remains a Saudi Arabian dagger. Do we know which it is?

My point as regards these Malawi daggers was that just because they were collected in Malawi does not necessarily mean they were made in Malawi.
I now accept that the available evidence strongly suggests they were made in Malawi, but I still think they are not typically sub-saharan African, and it would be interesting to know why.
Regards
Richard

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

I don't think that the hippo ivory is a good proof for the African origin, you can find this material in Malaysia, Indonesia or also the Philippines.
But the necklace Jampot have shown by link is a good one which was conclusive IMO.

Regards,
Detlef

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I don't think that the hippo ivory is a good proof for the African origin, you can find this material in Malaysia, Indonesia or also the Philippines.
But the necklace Jampot have shown by link is a good one which was conclusive IMO.

Regards,
Detlef

Indeed Detlef, I covered off ivory trade in an earlier post and how easily this point can be refuted but these other regions you note do not manufacture to these designs.