Hombre

Should really appreciate opinions about this dagger....
Lenght ca 25 cm.... No sheath...
Sorry for the pictures.... The only ones I got for the moment....

Best,
Stefan

Attached Images

     

Sajen

Persian khanjar? Others like Kubur will be able to tell you more. When it's Persian the possibility is high that it could be a wootz blade. Curious what others will tell you.

Regards,
Detlef

Edster

Stefan,

If the grip is ebony or African Black Wood I would offer that it is perhaps of Sudanese Rashaida Arab origin. The Rashaida came to Sudan in the early 19thC and now live including around Kassala. ABW is a common wood for knife handles there. The style is similar to Kassala arm daggers, but may also have an Arab twist. Also, the blade is better than most local products. Suggest Arab/Yemeni blade with Eastern Sudan made grip, mid-19th to early 20th C.

This could be really off-base, but intuition called.
Regards,
Ed

Sajen

To my eyes look the handle made from iron!?

Edster

It does sort of look like iron, nice patina.

ariel

Ottoman?
They liked all-iron.

Battara

Yes I agree that this is iron or more likely steel. Persian is my guess with the "I" form of hilt.

I also wonder if this is later Qajar period, and if so, might not be wootz after all. Might have originally had some silver koftgari one the hilt and/or blade, and might even be 20th century.

Kubur

Thank you, but Kubur is not very good with Indian weapons.
Some will say Indo Persian... but it's Indian.
Of course you can see the Persian influence in the steel khanjar style hilt.
These daggers are very common and very very late 19th if not 20th century.
To me they were more panoplie decorative things but as I said you will have more precise answers from specialists.

motan

Hi,
I am also not an expert on Indo-Persian weapons, but this looks like a Persian Khanjar from late Qajar period (around 1900). Typical all-steel construction with a hollow hilt. Very similar items were made in Damascus as well, but the style of decoration is quite different.
Very little chance of wootz blade because they are almost non-existent in this type. Some are engraved with plants, animal and humans, particularly hunting scenes, but no wootz.

thinreadline

Almost certainly Indian ... I have one with the same hilt but straight blade . It had the swollen 'mail piercing' tip .

Attached Images

 

Kubur

Use the key words Indian jambiya
You will find plenty... some of them are 19th c may be earlier...

Attached Images

    

Hombre

Thank you so very much guys for you opinions. I really appreciate it.
As soon as I have it in my hands I will take more pictures of it and post it here.

Best,
Stefan

sfenoid13

It’s clearly Persian.

mariusgmioc

While the general shape and the hilt appear to be Persian, typical Persian khanjars have the signature central rib, which this one does not.
However, blades of diamond cross-section like this one are very common with the Kurdish people. Ad let us not forget that large portions of the areas inhabited by Kurdish people were (some still are) part of Persia.
So, my oppinion is that it is a Persian inspired Kurdish khanjar.

Mercenary

Rajasthani jambia. I met them there.
Kubur - !

mahratt

I agree. It looks like an indian jambia. And looking at what remains of koftgari, I think it’s very late 19th century

Hombre

Have just been packing it up....
Handle is iron....
More pictures will come when the light is better.... Rainy day here....

Best,
Stefan

Attached Images

 

ariel

Well....

Persia, Arab/Yemeni blade with Eastern Sudan made grip, Ottoman, Rajastan, just India in general, Kurdish....

Any other countries on the map?

:-)