Jambiya Scabbard

[russel]

Hello all,

I picked up this silver Jambiya scabbard recently. Sadly no Jambiya to go with it, but the price was too good to let go. I know little about Jambiya and hope members here can tell me a little about what I have. Is it a quality piece, or average? The metalwork seems quite intricate. It has seen a little damage and there are obviously a few pieces missing (including the knife!), but overall I find it a rather attractive item.

As usual, all thoughts and comments are welcome and appreciated.

Cheers, Russel

[Richard G]

It is the scabbard of an Omani khunjar, possibly from the Shargiyah (facing the Gulf of Oman). It is a little unusual in the tooling of the leather between the locket and the rings and the rings themselves, being bound and capped whereas more commonly only the outer rings for attaching to the belt are so decorated. Unfortunately the two outer rings and the pronounced strip or bar to which they would have been attached is missing. It seems to have been of good quality apart from the wire work which is probably replaced.
Here is a photo of what it should look like.
Regards
Richard

[A.alnakkas]

Thats a nice scabbard. Its Saudi work, not Omani. You have a pm :-)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by russel

Hello all,

I picked up this silver Jambiya scabbard recently. Sadly no Jambiya to go with it, but the price was too good to let go. I know little about Jambiya and hope members here can tell me a little about what I have. Is it a quality piece, or average? The metalwork seems quite intricate. It has seen a little damage and there are obviously a few pieces missing (including the knife!), but overall I find it a rather attractive item.

As usual, all thoughts and comments are welcome and appreciated.

Cheers, Russel

Salaams Russel, This is indeed an interesting scabbard. Its not Omani, however, but appears to originate in the Saudia region way down on the Yemeni border. Omanis call these Habaabi and a whole lot of detail is at Forum library ...for example at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=habaabi where #24 has several actual examples.

I chased around the region looking for origins of the weapon and concluded it was actually based on the Muscat Khanjar ...effectively the forerunner to the Royal Omani sa'idiyyah construction ...the latters hilt being designed by the famous princess Sheherezad..See The Omani Khanjar http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=Omani+Khanjar. I figured that the region was firmly on the sea trade route between Muscat and Zanzibar and that the Muscat dagger had migrated to that region (through trade) which prior to about 1920 was in the Yemen.

You can see the damage caused by the spiggots roughly stuck into the scabbard leather ( usually with a wood core) You can also see that many parts are missing. The trouble is that the scabbard is peculiar with the leather markings..perhaps it would be better left as it is..If only they could talk?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Richard G]

You know, on second thoughts I think it could be the silver fittings from an Omani or Saudi Khunjar put onto a leather scabbard, presumably not in Oman or they would have done it properly. I don't now think the suspension strip is missing; I think it was probably never there, on this scabbard.
Mr Allnakkas and Ibrahim, are you saying the locket and chape are Saudi work, and not Omani? I know many "Habbabi" khunjars have this style of fitting but so does the Omani Khanjar below from The Omani Khanjar thread. How do you tell the difference?. Is it the workmanship or the proportions? I ask because I would like to know.
Beat wishes
Richard

[A.alnakkas]

Jambiyas can be used in different region and often repaired/fixed using methods different from its place of origin.

The khanjar scabbard you show is identical to Ehsa work (which is very similar to South Saudi work but with minor differences.) and I know of few examples that are even provenanced to Ehsa makers and users.

The leather is very different in this one, it looks quite intact on the area where the leather strap (that has 2 rings in front and 1 ring on each side) so maybe its an old unorthodox restoration that had a strap over the leather. This is supported by the fact that some rings remain on the bottom and those cannot be placed this way without a strap and 4 more rings.

[A.alnakkas]

this example is very interesting. It could be a 9 ringer example which is uncommon but exists.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Richard G

You know, on second thoughts I think it could be the silver fittings from an Omani or Saudi Khunjar put onto a leather scabbard, presumably not in Oman or they would have done it properly. I don't now think the suspension strip is missing; I think it was probably never there, on this scabbard.
Mr Allnakkas and Ibrahim, are you saying the locket and chape are Saudi work, and not Omani? I know many "Habbabi" khunjars have this style of fitting but so does the Omani Khanjar below from The Omani Khanjar thread. How do you tell the difference?. Is it the workmanship or the proportions? I ask because I would like to know.
Beat wishes
Richard

Salaams Richard G Absolutely ..That picture is The Muscat Khanjar "form" see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14878 #113 of which I wrote;

The Muscat Khanjar
With cloth belt and money container worn on the belt.(often 2) The Muscat Khanjar another example from Ruth Hawleys masterwork Omani Silver.

It is typically made with a TEE shaped hilt and the main body of the scabbard displays the same ring formation as the Royal Khanjar and must surely have been the main influence on Sheherazade who designed the Royal Khanjar hilt matching it to a 7 ringer Scabbard in similar fashion...in about 1850.

I am unable to ID the leather scabbard although A.alnakkas identifies it as potentially Ehsa which I go along with.. The silver work is made in the Asir region but follows the essential geometry of the Muscat Khanjar that must have arrived there by sea trade..and stuck!

The greater of the tricks in ID are deciding which is which and that is even more difficult without the dagger... and in this case when parts only...appear on a non original Asir/Ehsa scabbard beneath...I would go with the flow and having seen the Asir examples plus the leather scabbard it indicates from the Saudia region (previously in Yemen pre 1920) my feeling is that the silver parts are from the Habaabi style...yet as you correctly must be thinking... wheres the proof? The fact is thats all we have ... and like a dead body missing its vital fingerprints and head! we are left with the hypothesis which I hope holds water.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Richard G]

Thank you, Mr Alnakkas and Ibrahim, but I regret to say I still haven't understood this.
Ehsa? could I please ask where this is?
Is it Al Hasa?, which in my view would be eastern Saudi Arabia.
Ibrahim, you seem to have concluded that the leather work in the original post could be Ehsa yet the silver work remains Southern Saudi Arabia. However I got the impression Mr Alnakkas was referring to the silver work. Am I wrong?
If not, do I conclude that "Habaabi" type khunjars or jambiyas could be either Southern (Asir) or Eastern (Ehsa) Saudi Arabian?
Sorry about this.
Regards
Richard

[A.alnakkas]

Hello

Yes Ehsa is Alhasa I am using my accent again >.> sorry.

The silver work is from Alhasa, some swordmakers still exist there too!

I included an example from my collection. An identical, provenanced example I know of in a Saudi collection also shows that these are made in alHasa.

The ones made in Southern KSA are very similar but there are subtle differences. The silver wire wrapping on the cloth part is not circular like the shown example, but checkered (will provide photos) and the scabbard chape is upturned on southern examples.