Mediterranean knife?

Battara · 29th January 2008, 11:47 PM

Another possiblity - an old Syrian piece done for the Victorian market?

The horn layers on the hilt and the brass work look Syrian-Lebanese to me.

RobT · 30th January 2008, 02:37 AM

Hi All,
I agree with Battara. I just looked at my two Majali Shams jambiyia and the butt caps on both (with the exposed tang) look very similar to kronckew's blade.
Sincerely,
RobT

kronckew · 30th January 2008, 07:33 AM

thanks, it does have the same overall shaped hilt as my little lebanese dagger:

i knew i'd seen that shaped hilt with a peened brass pommel plate somewhere.
the last weapon i bought that was listed as 'egyptian' was really a very nice dha, so i've learned to be a bit sceptical of 'egyptian'

Battara · 30th January 2008, 07:55 PM

This last one you posted is more recent. The other one is older perhaps by a century.

katana · 30th January 2008, 08:04 PM

Well done Kronckew,
I ... like Spiral, also thinks there seems to be a 'wootzy like' patternation......I e-mailed the seller for more pics before the auction ended (just in case) but never received any ......so ended up not bidding. I think it's a nice knife and if it is wootz

..but please, if it is....would you keep it to yourself ...otherwise I will be 'kicking myself silly' for a fortnight

Kind Regards David

Battara · 30th January 2008, 08:08 PM

Holy Moses!

Missed that - now I see elements of that in the picture. It may not be for the tourist trade if it is wootz. Import blade with Syrian-Lebanese work.

kronckew · 2nd February 2008, 05:08 PM

well, it arrived today, needed a bit of a clean as it had a layer of black grease on it, a bit of soap and water (plus a light going over with some FeCl followed by a baking soda bath) and a good oiling later.
starboard side

port side: the dark areas were where active rust was before cleaning. the light areas were not rusted.

katana asked i not tell him if it was wootz or not. i thus leave it up for question.

blade is in reasonable shape for 100+years, but of denting on the spine where it had been batonned, there is a slight wiggle in the blade where it likely was bent and straigtened in the past.

final shot of right side from another angle. there does seem to be a bit of a dendritic patterning.....

for comparison, a homogeneous steel blade i treated earlier

30th January 2008, 02:37 AM	#2
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 568	Syrian for me also Hi All, I agree with Battara. I just looked at my two Majali Shams jambiyia and the butt caps on both (with the exposed tang) look very similar to kronckew's blade. Sincerely, RobT

29th January 2008, 11:47 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	Another possiblity - an old Syrian piece done for the Victorian market? The horn layers on the hilt and the brass work look Syrian-Lebanese to me.

30th January 2008, 07:33 AM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,259	thanks, it does have the same overall shaped hilt as my little lebanese dagger: i knew i'd seen that shaped hilt with a peened brass pommel plate somewhere. the last weapon i bought that was listed as 'egyptian' was really a very nice dha, so i've learned to be a bit sceptical of 'egyptian'

30th January 2008, 07:55 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	This last one you posted is more recent. The other one is older perhaps by a century.

30th January 2008, 08:04 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Well done Kronckew, I ... like Spiral, also thinks there seems to be a 'wootzy like' patternation......I e-mailed the seller for more pics before the auction ended (just in case) but never received any ......so ended up not bidding. I think it's a nice knife and if it is wootz ..but please, if it is....would you keep it to yourself ...otherwise I will be 'kicking myself silly' for a fortnight Kind Regards David

30th January 2008, 08:08 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	Holy Moses! Missed that - now I see elements of that in the picture. It may not be for the tourist trade if it is wootz. Import blade with Syrian-Lebanese work.

2nd February 2008, 05:08 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,259	well, it arrived today, needed a bit of a clean as it had a layer of black grease on it, a bit of soap and water (plus a light going over with some FeCl followed by a baking soda bath) and a good oiling later. starboard side port side: the dark areas were where active rust was before cleaning. the light areas were not rusted. katana asked i not tell him if it was wootz or not. i thus leave it up for question. blade is in reasonable shape for 100+years, but of denting on the spine where it had been batonned, there is a slight wiggle in the blade where it likely was bent and straigtened in the past. final shot of right side from another angle. there does seem to be a bit of a dendritic patterning..... for comparison, a homogeneous steel blade i treated earlier