What were they smoking?
 

I was watching this on ebay. An old Omani khanjar with a rhino horn hilt but the blade is completely rusted away and the scabbard needs much restoration :shrug:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEDWX:IT

Nothing wrong with trying to sell it, but ...36 bids from 7 idiots is a sight worth cherishing!

Any chance the higher bidders were simply buying the Rhino horn for the Asian market?

Remember, all it takes for an auction to be a successful one is two bidders... ;)

On the flip side, when I attend brick-and-mortar auctions, I usually work with the couple guys I'll know to decide who's going to bid on what. This ensures we don't unnecessarily drive the price up on items. Sucks for the auction house, but works for us!

Is that 'ringing' ? :confused:

I had to look up the term, and yep... that's "ringing!"

The couple auction houses on the regional circuit I hit up with these guys don't seem to pay it much mind. Maybe it's due to the business we bring at/to their auctions, maybe it's due to the horse trading we conduct with these guys out of auction, but either way, it works for us.

Now, with that in mind, there are other auction houses that get pissed if their customers so much as conduct business with each other after the auction. I guess the trick is knowing how each auction goes about their business, as each is different.

As far as those couple who do tolerate "ringing," there's still no accounting for the loose cannon "X" factor who will pay whatever they have to if something is purdy and shiny enough. ;)

Rhino horn has to be fresh they would not use a 100 year old piece in eastern medicine.

It could also have been bought to mate the hilt with a new blade and fittings for the Yemeni/Saudi high-end jambiya markets. I've read of jambiyas fetching much more than this, when loaded with enough bling and with the right attributed provenance.

This is exactly what I am thinking due to the question asked of the Dealer .

Bet it went home for restoration and a new blade . :)

Rick

For the price paid plus a few hundred more for restoration it would be easier to wait around a pic up a better example in way better shape for about the same money.

One can only guess .... ;) :)

I would say that's a Saudi khanjar, not Omani

Omani or Saudia the point is they spent big bucks on a hilt and scabbard.