Great Qama

Gonzoadler · 21st June 2020, 09:53 PM

Hello, I am new in the forum

I'm from Germany and I collect antique edged weapons from Europe and Asia and letter openers.
In my first post I will show you my most beautiful Qama. It has cutted and gold-backed deers and flowers on the blade which is made of wild damascus with a fuller of ribbon damascus. The gold-koftgari shows a floral dekor. I think this combination of different decorations is really rare and shows the high quality of the dagger.
The hilt is made of walrus, the scabbard is shagreen and both have iron mountings with a fine gold-koftgari.
Length overall: 50cm
Without scabbard: 47cm
Length of the blade: 34,5cm

I think this dagger was made in the early 19th century in northwest Persia.
Are you agree with that?

OsobistGB · 24th June 2020, 09:28 PM

I agree with your opinion.The kindjal is definitely Persian.

russel · 24th June 2020, 10:08 PM

Stunning!

Oliver Pinchot · 25th June 2020, 05:17 PM

Definitely not Persian.
It's Georgian work c. 1850. There were a number of Tiflis masters who worked in this style. Very nice piece, congrats.

Gonzoadler · 25th June 2020, 07:38 PM

Has anyone pictures of similar pieces here in the forum. I searched in the Internet and in my books and I found only one. This Qama was sold in an auction and later by a dealer (I dont know if it is allowed to send a link). But the blade of this one was in a worse condition, mountings and scabbard were newer than the dagger.
I add some more pictures of my Qama.
Greetings
Robin

Gonzoadler · 25th June 2020, 07:39 PM

More pictures...

mariusgmioc · 25th June 2020, 08:28 PM

Absolutely stunning! Congratulations!

ariel · 26th June 2020, 11:02 AM

Agree with Oliver: Georgian, most likely Tiflis. May be even older: as per Rivkin, solid piece of walrus ivory and “ shoulders” on the handle were in fashion even in the first quarter of the 19 century.

Can you show the Damascus pattern on the flat surfaces of the blade and within the fullers? I would expect to see not “ ribbon Damascus” ( like on Turkish blades) there but the so-called “ Tiflis zigzag”, a very tight Damascus pattern with thin lines. It is frequently found on South Georgian kindjals from Guria.

OsobistGB · 27th June 2020, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

Definitely not Persian.
It's Georgian work c. 1850. There were a number of Tiflis masters who worked in this style. Very nice piece, congrats.

You may be right that it was probably manufactured in Tiflis.After consulting an expert , I will add that it was made between 1830-1840 in Tiflis , but the Persian influence is obvious!That was the reason to knee-jerk react with its identification.So let us not miss the fact that Eastern Georgia was part of Persia.
It's definitely a classy kindjal!

21st June 2020, 09:53 PM	#1
Gonzoadler Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Germany Posts: 244	Great Qama Hello, I am new in the forum I'm from Germany and I collect antique edged weapons from Europe and Asia and letter openers. In my first post I will show you my most beautiful Qama. It has cutted and gold-backed deers and flowers on the blade which is made of wild damascus with a fuller of ribbon damascus. The gold-koftgari shows a floral dekor. I think this combination of different decorations is really rare and shows the high quality of the dagger. The hilt is made of walrus, the scabbard is shagreen and both have iron mountings with a fine gold-koftgari. Length overall: 50cm Without scabbard: 47cm Length of the blade: 34,5cm I think this dagger was made in the early 19th century in northwest Persia. Are you agree with that? Attached Images

25th June 2020, 07:38 PM	#5
Gonzoadler Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Germany Posts: 244	Has anyone pictures of similar pieces here in the forum. I searched in the Internet and in my books and I found only one. This Qama was sold in an auction and later by a dealer (I dont know if it is allowed to send a link). But the blade of this one was in a worse condition, mountings and scabbard were newer than the dagger. I add some more pictures of my Qama. Greetings Robin Attached Images

25th June 2020, 07:39 PM	#6
Gonzoadler Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Germany Posts: 244	More pictures... Attached Images

24th June 2020, 09:28 PM	#2
OsobistGB Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 94	I agree with your opinion.The kindjal is definitely Persian.

24th June 2020, 10:08 PM	#3
russel Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 236	Stunning!

25th June 2020, 05:17 PM	#4
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 457	Definitely not Persian. It's Georgian work c. 1850. There were a number of Tiflis masters who worked in this style. Very nice piece, congrats.

25th June 2020, 08:28 PM	#7
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Absolutely stunning! Congratulations!

26th June 2020, 11:02 AM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Agree with Oliver: Georgian, most likely Tiflis. May be even older: as per Rivkin, solid piece of walrus ivory and “ shoulders” on the handle were in fashion even in the first quarter of the 19 century. Can you show the Damascus pattern on the flat surfaces of the blade and within the fullers? I would expect to see not “ ribbon Damascus” ( like on Turkish blades) there but the so-called “ Tiflis zigzag”, a very tight Damascus pattern with thin lines. It is frequently found on South Georgian kindjals from Guria.