Caucasian? dagger

AHorsa · 9th August 2021, 11:12 AM

Seems to be rare

Can anyone identify the letters? Doesn´t look arabic to me

Kind regards
Andreas

mariusgmioc · 9th August 2021, 12:05 PM

They are Arabic and there is a date:

١٢١٣ = 1213 Hijri year = 1798-1799 Gregorian.

However, I believe the date is spurious as the blade looks much more recent.

AHorsa · 9th August 2021, 01:50 PM

Great! Thank you!

I am not sure about the age. But the blade was definitely cleaned.

kwiatek · 9th August 2021, 02:45 PM

It says

Muhammad Ja'far 1213 (1798-9 AD)

AHorsa · 9th August 2021, 04:21 PM

Great thank you! Would this be the name of the original owner, if one assume that the inscription is right?

kwiatek · 9th August 2021, 05:40 PM

Pleasure! Yes, I think is is the owner's name

ariel · 10th August 2021, 11:22 PM

It is a Khandjar , Persian or North Indian. Velvet covering of the scabbard makes me put North India first. I have never seen any Caucasia weapon bearing a name Muhammad Ja’far, it just did not belong there.The broken handle is likely original. Most Khandjars in the museum collections have walrus, ivory or silver handles. But museums tend to exhibit weapons of rich and famous, a minority of the general population; those who were not very rich were very happy with a dagger with good blade and modest handle.
There was an article in a Russian journal , claiming that the presence of a non-walrus handle or even a walrus one but with the granulated layer adjacent to the tang of a shamshir is a sure sign of replacement. I would disagree with that statement. IMHO, it is just a sign of limited means or personal taste.

I have no objective reason to believe that the date is spurious.

9th August 2021, 11:12 AM	#1
AHorsa Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rhineland Posts: 375	Seems to be rare Can anyone identify the letters? Doesn´t look arabic to me Kind regards Andreas

9th August 2021, 12:05 PM	#2
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,911	They are Arabic and there is a date: ١٢١٣ = 1213 Hijri year = 1798-1799 Gregorian. However, I believe the date is spurious as the blade looks much more recent.

9th August 2021, 01:50 PM	#3
AHorsa Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rhineland Posts: 375	Great! Thank you! I am not sure about the age. But the blade was definitely cleaned.

9th August 2021, 02:45 PM	#4
kwiatek Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 156	It says Muhammad Ja'far 1213 (1798-9 AD)

9th August 2021, 04:21 PM	#5
AHorsa Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rhineland Posts: 375	Great thank you! Would this be the name of the original owner, if one assume that the inscription is right?

9th August 2021, 05:40 PM	#6
kwiatek Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 156	Pleasure! Yes, I think is is the owner's name

10th August 2021, 11:22 PM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	It is a Khandjar , Persian or North Indian. Velvet covering of the scabbard makes me put North India first. I have never seen any Caucasia weapon bearing a name Muhammad Ja’far, it just did not belong there.The broken handle is likely original. Most Khandjars in the museum collections have walrus, ivory or silver handles. But museums tend to exhibit weapons of rich and famous, a minority of the general population; those who were not very rich were very happy with a dagger with good blade and modest handle. There was an article in a Russian journal , claiming that the presence of a non-walrus handle or even a walrus one but with the granulated layer adjacent to the tang of a shamshir is a sure sign of replacement. I would disagree with that statement. IMHO, it is just a sign of limited means or personal taste. I have no objective reason to believe that the date is spurious.