Omani Gun Belts. Bedouin Martini Henry Ammo Belts.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Omani Gun Belts have suddenly become very scarce. This is a combination of normal wear and tear and gun belts being bought out ... simply snapped up by tourists and visitors . There were never that many around so the purchasing impact on the region has been pretty devastating. I have an excellent leathersmith who if tasked could produce fine belts and superb silver stitching etc however there is a bit more we can do to save some of the cracked worn and delapidated antique belts ... I have heard a few good treatments for leather including banana skins, coconut oil, saddle soap, olive oil and a few others but I have a bottle of Indian hair oil ! made from flowers which is excellent for leather. Inside the belts cartridge slots there tend to be abuild up of brass oxide which is probably something like verdigris that is both toxic if swallowed and has a drying effect on the leather. Taking it all off rather removes the patina so perhaps taking off half of it is better...? These belts normally sport a small pocket at both ends for small change. Silver adornment is a combination of either some or all of the foillowing : silver cartridgecase shaped kohl container with chain and applicator(for blackening the eyes~ a majical see further makeup) silver coins or silver plates over the money wallets, silver tweezers and leather spikes, silver pipe and tobacco holder, silver earwax spoons. When the project is dry(tomorrow) I will post a photo of the complete set up. Ibrahiim.

[A.alnakkas]

A slightly off-topic rant:

I get annoyed sometimes at the thought that our history is being sold. But its the fault of the natives, they dont take care of their items, they never catalog them. They sell them at a whim and in the end the westerners who buy them get to take care of them and even put them in museums.

Once in a discussion with a friend that collects antiques, the idea of getting back "what belongs to us" the same way egyptians are doing but its ridiculos to some extent but cant say I hate the idea of having world famous museums in my country or more arab countries.

Pointless rant is over :-)

On-topic:

I see older Yemeni belts sometimes, they sell fast especially if they had lots of silver buckles.

Still have alot that you can make for me Ibrahim so hope to take my swords/jambiyas to you soon :-)

[Rick]

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Salaams Rick... Thats great ...In fact we have a dozen horses and lots of tack to restore and clean... My majic Indian Hair Oil takes some beating as does good old olive oil but your stuff looks great too... Bri wax is also pretty good on leather but its petroleum based (but they do a non toxic one) Its actually for wood... we use it on a lot of chests and I'm just doing up an old Javanese Weapons Chest on wheels with it. I hope tips like these eventually start being rendered into a positively useful Restoration Library

Regards Ibrahiim.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Hey!! Thanks Rick. I'll give this stuff a try. Rick (also)

[rickystl]

To use slang terminology: Entirely COOL !!!

[Rick]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hey!! Thanks Rick. I'll give this stuff a try. Rick (also)

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Rick

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

Cal is 577/450 so yes it IS large at the rim, but of course is only .45 at the business end. Same diam as a 577 snider cartridge but necked.
Stu

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

Salaams Rick and Stu, When it was issued it must have been suddenly like every man had a machine gun by comparison to the old slow loader prior ~ One of the problems with the Martini Henry was the smoke from the black powder which when fired in volleys made the target difficult to see. However in its day this falling block closed breach and flat trajectory meant great accuracy was possible which was unfortunate for the enemy; often unarmoured tribal infantry. The Martini Henry round was devastating (a bit like an elephant gun) and it was not unusual for a single round to drop several targets. Both Count Martini and Mr Henry the inventors had produced a great rifle. What largely marked its demise was that the system couldn't take a magazine. Once it had been superceded many weapons appeared on Arabian shores thus its popularity in Oman.
Regards Ibrahiim.

Attached is a Khanjar Belt and the Bedouin Martini Henry belt with a full load including silver additions.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Salaams ; Please Add this to the list [url]www.renapur.com[url] A UK based company ~ I think this is the finest leather restorer I ever used... so that when we eventually get a restoration library may this be added for use on leather scabbards shields gunbelts etc
Just a tip on bringing leather up shiny .. use a little vaseline on a dry cloth and buff up. Marvellous.
Ibrahiim.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

IN OMAN several items can be worn on the gunbelt and often both the gunbelt and Khanjar belts can be worn together. Here is the Kohl (antimony paste) container and applicator for blackening around the eyes to cut the suns glare when shooting … in this case a 303 copy in silver with an applicator on a chain... once the cause of spreading conjunctivitis. The 577 was also copied earlier.
Being cartridge shaped it fits usually into the first hole in the ensemble

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Something a whole lot more rare item is attached on the gunbelt looped over a cartridge etc... I wasn't sure what thread to attach it to ...scuse pun... but this one may suffice ..I speak of the group of strikers on the left below, which make sparks when struck against the flintstone as seen on far left. Close ups follow.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

A slightly off-topic rant:

I get annoyed sometimes at the thought that our history is being sold. But its the fault of the natives, they dont take care of their items, they never catalog them. They sell them at a whim and in the end the westerners who buy them get to take care of them and even put them in museums.

Once in a discussion with a friend that collects antiques, the idea of getting back "what belongs to us" the same way egyptians are doing but its ridiculos to some extent but cant say I hate the idea of having world famous museums in my country or more arab countries.

Pointless rant is over :-)

On-topic:

I see older Yemeni belts sometimes, they sell fast especially if they had lots of silver buckles.

Still have alot that you can make for me Ibrahim so hope to take my swords/jambiyas to you soon :-)

Salaams I agree and would like to see a Museum of Islamic Art and Antiques ~ do try and pop round to the Tareq Rajeb Museum in Kuwait as they have a great selection of arms.. including one of our swords now recognised as having great antiquity (Omani Kattara short battle sword) Our specialists prefer to have the weapon on the work bench if we are fitting them with new scabbards ~ so welcome ~

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here is a full load on the now reasonably brought alive gunbelt. The ammo is a mixture of Martini Henry 577/450 caliber including some crinkley brass original stuff which was prone to breach jam and the Kynoch solid case.(Interestingly Kynoch Co was the forerunner to ICI) This bullet was powerful ~ and could knock a man off a horse at 1000 yards, and could penetrate all 18 hardwood planks each an inch thick. Incredibly for a single shot, falling block action, in a trained infantrymans hands 21 rounds a minute was achieved.
The Martini Henry became a favourite weapon of the bedouin and Arabian hunters, and of course the askiri or palace guards and were brought into this part of Arabia through Muscat and Ajman. The requirement was then for a belt to carry the 30 or so rounds thus the project seen here. Omani belts are waist belts not cross belts often seen in other neighboring countries. Omani people are and were smaller thus the belts are trim to say the least ! Rounds were used refilled and used again almost to destruction and bullets are often cut back to quarter size for different targets; pointless to put a hole the size of a tennis ball in say a hare or grouse...and amazingly Arab hunters cut the barrels off by about 12 inches lightening the entire weapon and ridding it of the bayonet lug to boot...and without losing hardly any accuracy ! Ok here is the belt...

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

A slightly off-topic rant:

I get annoyed sometimes at the thought that our history is being sold. But its the fault of the natives, they dont take care of their items, they never catalog them. They sell them at a whim and in the end the westerners who buy them get to take care of them and even put them in museums.

Once in a discussion with a friend that collects antiques, the idea of getting back "what belongs to us" the same way egyptians are doing but its ridiculos to some extent but cant say I hate the idea of having world famous museums in my country or more arab countries.

Pointless rant is over :-)

On-topic:

I see older Yemeni belts sometimes, they sell fast especially if they had lots of silver buckles.

Still have alot that you can make for me Ibrahim so hope to take my swords/jambiyas to you soon :-)

Not necessarily off topic, but understandable. I think the important point is that antiquities and these kinds of items which end up in other hands, often in other countries result from distinct interest in and appreciation of the artifacts involved. Clearly with artifacts, as long as obtained properly and in observation with local ordinances and regulations, these end up being valued items which hopefully are restored with caution and preserved. Antiquities not excavated deserve similar care and thought not typically regulated the same, should be cared for with respect and thoughtful maintainance.

Several years ago I was asked to locate a Spanish 'cuera', the leather jackets worn by colonial soldiers on the frontier. I knew that a great many weapons and artifacts still existed, but was stunned that only two examples of these from 18th century, early 19th existed, and had just found one other.
These leather items apparantly were 'recycled' or simply trashed, as appears to be the case with the larger number of leather items in Europe.

I think that too often there is a local complacency toward items which are old and historically valuable and the interest is in whether it is usable, and if not, becomes worthless. In these cases, the expatriation of these items fortunately saves them from wanton disposal and puts them into hands which value them for what they are, rather than becoming simple selling away of heritage. I have never treated antique items I have owned with anything but respect, and charge all who own them to do so in kind with thiers.

Heritage preserved is valuable regardless of who does it or where, and we are simply the custodians of these treasured items for the time we have them.
Too many museums are storing away thier items, and too many others throw them in storage to rust or rot away. Too many items are scrapped or recycled.
Just my thoughts, and that IS a rant

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Not necessarily off topic, but understandable. I think the important point is that antiquities and these kinds of items which end up in other hands, often in other countries result from distinct interest in and appreciation of the artifacts involved. Clearly with artifacts, as long as obtained properly and in observation with local ordinances and regulations, these end up being valued items which hopefully are restored with caution and preserved. Antiquities not excavated deserve similar care and thought not typically regulated the same, should be cared for with respect and thoughtful maintainance.

Several years ago I was asked to locate a Spanish 'cuera', the leather jackets worn by colonial soldiers on the frontier. I knew that a great many weapons and artifacts still existed, but was stunned that only two examples of these from 18th century, early 19th existed, and had just found one other.
These leather items apparantly were 'recycled' or simply trashed, as appears to be the case with the larger number of leather items in Europe.

I think that too often there is a local complacency toward items which are old and historically valuable and the interest is in whether it is usable, and if not, becomes worthless. In these cases, the expatriation of these items fortunately saves them from wanton disposal and puts them into hands which value them for what they are, rather than becoming simple selling away of heritage. I have never treated antique items I have owned with anything but respect, and charge all who own them to do so in kind with thiers.

Heritage preserved is valuable regardless of who does it or where, and we are simply the custodians of these treasured items for the time we have them.
Too many museums are storing away thier items, and too many others throw them in storage to rust or rot away. Too many items are scrapped or recycled.
Just my thoughts, and that IS a rant

I would be the first to agree that antiquities and antique items from various cultures should be retained by them, but we as collectors, and those who are dealers in these items, are guilty of doing exactly what is being frowned at here.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

I would be the first to agree that antiquities and antique items from various cultures should be retained by them, but we as collectors, and those who are dealers in these items, are guilty of doing exactly what is being frowned at here.

Hi Stu,
Actually what I was trying to say is that in many cases, maybe even most in certain situations, had these weapons or items not ended up in the hands of individuals who wanted to preserve and study them, they may well have virtually disappeared as the case described here. The idea that every item of antiquity should be kept in its aboriginal region to me seems a paradox, as with trade and the usual diffusion of items, how could this be sufficiently determined. Also, often arms and such antiquities in situ in original locale are often disregarded as old and no longer of use, ending up in thier disposal or wasting away. If we think of the lack of museums and displays of weapons in the 'west' is sadly lacking, consider the number of museums in many countries and that situation in preserving thier weapons heritage. Obviously there are some, but hardly the number to sufficiently foster the care of all the weapons from each country.

Weapons of colonial powers which ended up in native hands do not necessarily need to be returned to the power who made them. Native weapons acquired in colonial territories as souveniers whether by purchase or capture have the same status.
The reason most weapons of the crusades etc. have disappeared is that most were taken by scavengers from battle regions and thrown into huge heaps of scrap to be smelted and reforged. Some of the few which survived ended up in Alexandra, then to Istanbul, then into private collections.

Obviously there are exceptions, such as Samurai swords, which are sacred to the culture and tradition of the families, many being purchased to be returned to thier place. Somehow I do not see Kasallawi kaskaras needing to be returned to the Sudan; Taureg weapons sold as souveniers back to the Sahara etc. I suppose that the principle is well placed, but there are so many variations and exceptions that cases must be judged on thier own merits and circumstances.
As I noted, we as collectors, or students in the study of arms, I would like to think are trying to learn and preserve the history of these weapons and the heritage of the people who used them. In most cases where I spoke with people from India for example, explaining my study and collecting of thier weapons were thrilled to see such sincere interest in their history. Rather than feeling violated by these weapons being outside their country, they felt honored to see this interest and study . If museums take this approach, then others outside the country of origin of the weapons can see and appreciate other cultures...something deeply needed in todays world.

All the best,
Jim