Some Jambiyas

kahnjar1 · 12th December 2008, 07:30 PM

Hi Lew,
Yes your points are well taken re Oman/Trucial States. The boundaries are rather clouded, but the HILT styles tell the story. The particular hilts styles on Gavins Khanjar are originally from the (modern) UAE area or Arabia.
With reference to your pics, the second one is an Al bu Said hilt, and the 3rd one is a Meccan Style hilt but with an Omani style scabbard.
Re the 2 pics of T E Lawrence---in the left pic he is wearing a Khanjar with a MECCAN style hilt, and in the righthand one, an Al bu Said hilt. According to popular belief he had a preference for Meccan style Khanjar, and in fact had a gold Khanjar made for him in Mecca in 1917. This particular Khanjar is now in a private collection.
It must be remembered that prior to WW 1 (1914), Arabia was very much unknown, and the only contact was with traders and trading on the coasts. Various tribes tended to be rather fixed in their areas and it was only when someone elses style of Khanjar found its way to a new area, that the mix of styles found today began. Its an interesting and at times frustrating task to clearly identify exactly where each style comes from.

Lew · 12th December 2008, 08:14 PM

Stuart

We need to start working on that time machine so we can go back and figure this out

Funny I have never seen a jambiya/khanjar that was say from the 17th or 18th centuries I wonder if there are any examples out there lurking about?

Lew

Lew · 12th December 2008, 08:26 PM

Hey this guy has one in his shop in Yemen

Knife-seller Abdullah al Azeri shows off a 300-year-old jambiya dagger that he says is worth more than $25,000. Azeri says his family has been in the knife business for more than 1,000 years.

kahnjar1 · 13th December 2008, 12:33 AM

Hi Lew,
We are probably getting away from Gavins original thread, but my personal comment to the age of that Jambiya in the pic is probably not printable. I have seen far too many Yemeni "genuine antique" daggers to believe the provenance without getting a VERY good look at the item. Old Jambiya in my experience NEVER have such a highly polished blade! As a rule I would NEVER buy ANY Yemeni item without being able to see it first. There are far too many fakes coming out of that area.
Regards Stuart

Gavin Nugent · 13th December 2008, 09:04 AM

Great discussion gents, one can leave very happy with the knowledge that has been shared here. The getting away from my original thread as you say Stu is of great benefit for myself and others who know little about this fasinating and some what mystical knife and it's clouded history.
As Jim has always pointed out, historical ethic boundries and the changing of these boundries are very important in the discussion of weaponry and it is the weapons of this cross over of boundries that we all find so fasinating.
Please continue..

regards

Gav

Lew · 15th December 2008, 03:11 PM

Gav

If you travel to Yemen you should read this first. I copied this from an article.

May 18, 2007
Beware of jambiya-snatchers
When in Yemen, leave your fancy dagger at home:

Abdul Wali Ali al-Robaiyee, 67, of Sana’a, owner of 30 very pricey jambiyas, describes one of the ways that thieves use to snatch a jambiya from an unsuspecting victim. First, the attacker tosses a cloud of spices into the eyes of the victim, temporarily blinding him. This gives the thief enough time to snatch the jambiya from its sheath and flee. This procedure is mostly done in the old city of Sana’a, because streets are narrow and winding, making escape easy, said al-Robaiyee.

“In the old city of Sana’a this happens more than any other place. The small streets and the numerous side roads can make the victim very distracted, so that he loses the thief quickly.” “Some even run into stores or even homes, making it easier for them to disappear. The victim would stay at least five minutes with his eyes blurry and burning, and in the end he lost a very costly jambiya.” The number of jambiya thefts has been greater this year than ever before, said Abdul-Salaam al-Shibami of the Sana’a police department in Bab al-Yemen.

“It started more than 10 years ago, but now it is increasing, and thieves are using different techniques. I advise older people who walk alone during the later part of the night not to wear their jambiyas for their own safety.”

Michael Blalock · 15th December 2008, 10:53 PM

Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older.

12th December 2008, 08:26 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hey this guy has one in his shop in Yemen Knife-seller Abdullah al Azeri shows off a 300-year-old jambiya dagger that he says is worth more than $25,000. Azeri says his family has been in the knife business for more than 1,000 years. Attached Images

13th December 2008, 09:04 AM	#5
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Awesome Great discussion gents, one can leave very happy with the knowledge that has been shared here. The getting away from my original thread as you say Stu is of great benefit for myself and others who know little about this fasinating and some what mystical knife and it's clouded history. As Jim has always pointed out, historical ethic boundries and the changing of these boundries are very important in the discussion of weaponry and it is the weapons of this cross over of boundries that we all find so fasinating. Please continue.. regards Gav

15th December 2008, 10:53 PM	#7
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older. Attached Images

12th December 2008, 07:30 PM	#1
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,789	Hi Lew, Yes your points are well taken re Oman/Trucial States. The boundaries are rather clouded, but the HILT styles tell the story. The particular hilts styles on Gavins Khanjar are originally from the (modern) UAE area or Arabia. With reference to your pics, the second one is an Al bu Said hilt, and the 3rd one is a Meccan Style hilt but with an Omani style scabbard. Re the 2 pics of T E Lawrence---in the left pic he is wearing a Khanjar with a MECCAN style hilt, and in the righthand one, an Al bu Said hilt. According to popular belief he had a preference for Meccan style Khanjar, and in fact had a gold Khanjar made for him in Mecca in 1917. This particular Khanjar is now in a private collection. It must be remembered that prior to WW 1 (1914), Arabia was very much unknown, and the only contact was with traders and trading on the coasts. Various tribes tended to be rather fixed in their areas and it was only when someone elses style of Khanjar found its way to a new area, that the mix of styles found today began. Its an interesting and at times frustrating task to clearly identify exactly where each style comes from.

12th December 2008, 08:14 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Stuart We need to start working on that time machine so we can go back and figure this out Funny I have never seen a jambiya/khanjar that was say from the 17th or 18th centuries I wonder if there are any examples out there lurking about? Lew

13th December 2008, 12:33 AM	#4
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,789	Hi Lew, We are probably getting away from Gavins original thread, but my personal comment to the age of that Jambiya in the pic is probably not printable. I have seen far too many Yemeni "genuine antique" daggers to believe the provenance without getting a VERY good look at the item. Old Jambiya in my experience NEVER have such a highly polished blade! As a rule I would NEVER buy ANY Yemeni item without being able to see it first. There are far too many fakes coming out of that area. Regards Stuart

15th December 2008, 03:11 PM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Gav If you travel to Yemen you should read this first. I copied this from an article. May 18, 2007 Beware of jambiya-snatchers When in Yemen, leave your fancy dagger at home: Abdul Wali Ali al-Robaiyee, 67, of Sana’a, owner of 30 very pricey jambiyas, describes one of the ways that thieves use to snatch a jambiya from an unsuspecting victim. First, the attacker tosses a cloud of spices into the eyes of the victim, temporarily blinding him. This gives the thief enough time to snatch the jambiya from its sheath and flee. This procedure is mostly done in the old city of Sana’a, because streets are narrow and winding, making escape easy, said al-Robaiyee. “In the old city of Sana’a this happens more than any other place. The small streets and the numerous side roads can make the victim very distracted, so that he loses the thief quickly.” “Some even run into stores or even homes, making it easier for them to disappear. The victim would stay at least five minutes with his eyes blurry and burning, and in the end he lost a very costly jambiya.” The number of jambiya thefts has been greater this year than ever before, said Abdul-Salaam al-Shibami of the Sana’a police department in Bab al-Yemen. “It started more than 10 years ago, but now it is increasing, and thieves are using different techniques. I advise older people who walk alone during the later part of the night not to wear their jambiyas for their own safety.”