Balkan Dagger?
 

I just picked up this small woman's or child's dagger. The handle is only 3" long, however the substantial, double-edged 8.5" blade is absolutely lethal.
Maybe Georgian, or Armenian?

Am I wrong or does the shape of the pommel show an Iranian influence?

It looks like a Kindjal variant to me, for folk dress or dance, so Georgia or the Caucuses heading towards Iran.

I like the attributions to the possible origins of the dagger, but the blade is too well made, too sharp to be a dance dagger or one for just appearance in my opinion and that is why I thought it could be a young man's or woman's dagger based on the size of the handle.

I had one very similar, some time ago, horn hilt and coral coloured inlays. I think they make them all with a good blade, and really the only difference is size. Smaller is better for modern life as full size is unmistakably a weapon!

Thanks for the insight, but an 8.5" blade seems pretty lethal, lol. I'm guessing that this item is early to mid-20th century.