Slightly OT help with Islamic silver: Origin and translation

Atlantia · 28th October 2012, 01:47 PM

Gentlemen.

I hope you'll all indulge a slight diversion as I've been lucky enough to pick up a rather pretty silver box and have a couple of questions

Firstly can anyone translate the inscriptions please?
It looks like it's got 1936 on the front inscripiton.
A translation might tell me when it comes from but if not, does anyone recognise the work?
It's quite simple, hammered sheets of thick solid silver, with coiled wire silver soldered tubes made for the hinges. Simple work but very sturdy and heavy for a box it's size.
On the underside it has '9V' (97) scratched in faintly.

Appreciate the help chaps.

Gene

colin henshaw · 28th October 2012, 02:08 PM

Hi Gene

A real guess - but it has the look of Sudanese work...

Regards.

Atlantia · 28th October 2012, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Hi Gene

A real guess - but it has the look of Sudanese work...

Regards.

Hi Colin,

It's thrown me TBH.
I was thinking Yemeni, but that was based on the construction of the tubes for the hinges strangely enough!

So I'm prepared to look further afield mate. Thanks for the idea.
Best
Gene

P.S. it's a hell of a little box. It's only about five inches on the longest side and it weighs nearly 300g

AJ1356 · 28th October 2012, 02:16 PM

I can't make out the text, the year states, 1936 M which Stands for Miladi, which stands forafter birth of Christ.

Atlantia · 28th October 2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJ1356

I can't make out the text, the year states, 1936 M which Stands for Miladi, which stands forafter birth of Christ.

Hi AJ,

Thanks for the help.
I've seen Syrian work with the date in arabic characters but using the gregorian calendar. I could see 1936 but didn't recognise 'M'.
I'd assumed that it was made for toursits so they dated it using the western system. Would the addition of 'Midali' fit with that assumption or do you think the maker was a Christian?

AJ1356 · 28th October 2012, 03:11 PM

I am really not familiar with how they'd have done it in the Arab world. In Iran or Afghanistan they date with Gregorian dates usually for tourist market, things like guns and stuff (tourist markets here are fake items made to look old- interesting fact, fakes were made in these areas going back 1000s of years. I was reading that the nomads of the time were making fake Bactrian coins) Sorry my knowledge is really limited, as I am trying to learn as I go.

A.alnakkas · 28th October 2012, 03:20 PM

Nice box. Its Sudanese, it says: "shughl Om Durman" work of Om Durman. The date being in gregorian is not strange as it is used in most of the Islamic century now (not sure how old is the practice) the only country which does not use it as far as I know is KSA but they do sometimes for foreign business relations.

Atlantia · 28th October 2012, 03:38 PM

Hi Lotfy,
Thanks a lot, it's nice to know his name. How can you tell it's definately from the Sudan?

A.alnakkas · 28th October 2012, 03:48 PM

You're welcome my friend. Om Durman is a name of an area in Sudan rather then a person's name.

Atlantia · 28th October 2012, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

You're welcome my friend. Om Durman is a name of an area in Sudan rather then a person's name.

LOL, of course what was I thinking? As in 'the battle of'! lol

Excellent, thank you very much!

28th October 2012, 01:47 PM	#1
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Slightly OT help with Islamic silver: Origin and translation Gentlemen. I hope you'll all indulge a slight diversion as I've been lucky enough to pick up a rather pretty silver box and have a couple of questions Firstly can anyone translate the inscriptions please? It looks like it's got 1936 on the front inscripiton. A translation might tell me when it comes from but if not, does anyone recognise the work? It's quite simple, hammered sheets of thick solid silver, with coiled wire silver soldered tubes made for the hinges. Simple work but very sturdy and heavy for a box it's size. On the underside it has '9V' (97) scratched in faintly. Appreciate the help chaps. Gene Attached Images

28th October 2012, 02:08 PM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Hi Gene A real guess - but it has the look of Sudanese work... Regards.

28th October 2012, 02:16 PM	#4
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 314	I can't make out the text, the year states, 1936 M which Stands for Miladi, which stands forafter birth of Christ.

28th October 2012, 03:11 PM	#6
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 314	I am really not familiar with how they'd have done it in the Arab world. In Iran or Afghanistan they date with Gregorian dates usually for tourist market, things like guns and stuff (tourist markets here are fake items made to look old- interesting fact, fakes were made in these areas going back 1000s of years. I was reading that the nomads of the time were making fake Bactrian coins) Sorry my knowledge is really limited, as I am trying to learn as I go.

28th October 2012, 03:20 PM	#7
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,338	Nice box. Its Sudanese, it says: "shughl Om Durman" work of Om Durman. The date being in gregorian is not strange as it is used in most of the Islamic century now (not sure how old is the practice) the only country which does not use it as far as I know is KSA but they do sometimes for foreign business relations.

28th October 2012, 03:38 PM	#8
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Hi Lotfy, Thanks a lot, it's nice to know his name. How can you tell it's definately from the Sudan?

28th October 2012, 03:48 PM	#9
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,338	You're welcome my friend. Om Durman is a name of an area in Sudan rather then a person's name.