Wootz Jambiya

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about the origins of this jambiya. It has a 24cm blade made from dark wootz with a heavy ivory grip. The back of the grip is covered in a light coloured metal. The scabbard appears to be wood covered with fabric and looks to have a bit of age.

To me it appears that neither this scabbard or the metal plate covering the back of the grip, would have been original to the jambiya. They don't seem to be the same quality as the blade or ivory grip. I was wondering if the metal may have been put on the grip by a later owner to cover damage to the ivory?

Cheers,

Bryce

[mariusgmioc]

Hello Bryce,

The blade is unmistakeably Persian (18th century, my guess), and of highest quality Kara Taban wootz. Wow!

The mountings, I don't know... maybe Kurdish?!

[Battara]

I totally agree that the beautiful blade is Persian. The grip though looks more Indian to me and not Kurdish.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Battara

I totally agree that the beautiful blade is Persian. The grip though looks more Indian to me and not Kurdish.

Yes, you nailed it, the hilt and the scabbard (with coloured cloth - I have Tulwar with somehow similar scabbard) look quite Indian.

[Kubur]

Sorry guys

I don' like to be pessimistic but
the sheat / scabbard is Indian and not very old;
the hilt with the silver at the back is classic from South Arabian jambiya or khanjar;
in an Indian context, I'll say that it's a Jewish hilt from India or Yemen;
the blade is recent fake or printed wootz (if you scratch it'll disapear).
To me it's a recent fake Indian jambiya...made of different marts
the hilt is good & old, the blade is recent
Sorry

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Sorry guys

I don' like to be pessimistic but
the sheat / scabbard is Indian and not very old;
the hilt with the silver at the back is classic from South Arabian jambiya or khanjar;
in an Indian context, I'll say that it's a Jewish hilt from India or Yemen;
the blade is recent fake or printed wootz (if you scratch it'll disapear).
To me it's a recent fake Indian jambiya...made of different marts
the hilt is good & old, the blade is recent
Sorry

Hello Kubur,

While you may be right about the hilt and the sheath, I am certain you are wrong, very wrong, about the blade.


I have many wootz blades, many etched myself, that show exactly the same type of local fading you highlighted on this blade.

The blade is Wootz all right in its finest form!

Moreover, the lobed pommel doesn't look very Arabic to me but much more Indian, as I saw several Tiger Tooth Daggers with pommels somehow similar to this one.