Dagger from India?

motan · 17th March 2019, 03:42 PM

Hi Ariel,
Nice lesson in history, and verifiable too. However, I did make some valid points and shown the examples to go with them. You can not deny that the blade and koftgiri, as well as the type of scabbard of Corrad26's look Syrian. Further, the Lebanese style was not invented by Haddad, but developed from more diverse local types in Lebanon, some of which were influenced by Syrian style. It would be strange if it was not so.

I want to take this opportunity to clarify a misconception about Majdali daggers. True, similar daggers were made in other part of Syria already early on. However, Majdal Shams had two main types: one which you showed in your post and the other had blades more similar to Corrado26's dagger, as shown in the pictures below.
The misconception is that only the ones with broad hilt, heavy blade and decoration etched in the base of the blade (like the ones you show) are genuine Majdali daggers. The type in the pictures was made in Majdal Shams, at least from 1910 (the oldest I have seen with date) and many are signed with the village name on the blade. You can look in Artzi's site under Magdali.

motan · 17th March 2019, 04:00 PM

An example of an older Lebanese dagger - unfortunately, I fell asleep during the auction.

ariel · 17th March 2019, 07:40 PM

Hi Motan,
I was intentionally brief and your comments filled the gaps. Many thanks!

17th March 2019, 03:42 PM	#1
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	Hi Ariel, Nice lesson in history, and verifiable too. However, I did make some valid points and shown the examples to go with them. You can not deny that the blade and koftgiri, as well as the type of scabbard of Corrad26's look Syrian. Further, the Lebanese style was not invented by Haddad, but developed from more diverse local types in Lebanon, some of which were influenced by Syrian style. It would be strange if it was not so. I want to take this opportunity to clarify a misconception about Majdali daggers. True, similar daggers were made in other part of Syria already early on. However, Majdal Shams had two main types: one which you showed in your post and the other had blades more similar to Corrado26's dagger, as shown in the pictures below. The misconception is that only the ones with broad hilt, heavy blade and decoration etched in the base of the blade (like the ones you show) are genuine Majdali daggers. The type in the pictures was made in Majdal Shams, at least from 1910 (the oldest I have seen with date) and many are signed with the village name on the blade. You can look in Artzi's site under Magdali. Attached Images

17th March 2019, 04:00 PM	#2
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	An example of an older Lebanese dagger - unfortunately, I fell asleep during the auction. Attached Images

17th March 2019, 07:40 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Hi Motan, I was intentionally brief and your comments filled the gaps. Many thanks!