Jambiya, Amber hilt, Before & After a Little Restoration

derek · 14th July 2005, 04:59 PM

I got this jambiya recently and saw several things about that bugged me. First, it looks like an amber hilt, but I'm open to comments on this. It doesn't melt at a hot needle, when it breaks it behaves a bit like glass, but it can be filed and smoothed. It has been broken and repaired.

Anyway, as you can see the "nicer" fittings on the grip are facing the back side when it's in the sheath. the dagger looked arabian peninsula to me, but the scabbard looks very Indian. In fact, it's much like a kukri sheath in construction, design, decoration, etc. So, my first thought was that the scabbard was matched to it after the fact. But it fits like an absolute glove, so I'm just not sure.

Then I started to think that maybe when the repair was done the person reversed the silver floral-looking studs without realizing it. The thin, lower-quality coin-like studs were added when the repair was done, I believe.

I decided to tackle it as a project. I worked all the silver loose and pulled the broken amber off, removed the blade, and wiped out all the gunk.

Then mixed up some orange acrylic paint into some epoxy (thanks Tom for that idea on a previous project). I put the blade back in, slide the silver stud and pin back through the right way (there is a hole in the blade tang for it to pass through), added some epoxy, place the broken piece back over and into place as perfect as possible, and let it set. then I replaced the rest of the fittings and polished up a few rough spots. It looks better and the repair is definitely stronger now. I still can't decide the origins of this one though.

Any thoughts?

I decided t

derek · 14th July 2005, 05:01 PM

These are the "after" pics:

Jens Nordlunde · 14th July 2005, 05:49 PM

Hi Derek,

Nice jambiya, and nice work you have don't, but why don't you think it can't be from SW coast of Indian?

Jens

derek · 14th July 2005, 05:56 PM

Hi Jens,
Thanks.
It certainly could be, I just haven't seen amber grip examples that weren't arabian peninsula before. You think it's all Indian then?
-d

Rick · 14th July 2005, 07:11 PM

Artzi's got something very similar in his new listings which he lists as Yemeni .
I wonder if the scabbard toe may be a more recent addition ?

derek · 14th July 2005, 07:36 PM

Hi Rick,
Good one pointing that out. I feel fairly certain about the jambiya itself being arabian, esp. with Artzi's comparable example.
However, the scabbard is quite different. The pattern in the leather, the toe (which may have been added later), the leather flap on the back with the single nail tacking it in place are classic features of many Indian kukri scabbards.

Maybe it was dumb luck that the owner found a scabbard that exactly matched?

-d

Andrew · 14th July 2005, 07:48 PM

Derek, here's a good site that has some tips on identifying amber:

http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/ident.htm

14th July 2005, 04:59 PM	#1
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Jambiya, Amber hilt, Before & After a Little Restoration I got this jambiya recently and saw several things about that bugged me. First, it looks like an amber hilt, but I'm open to comments on this. It doesn't melt at a hot needle, when it breaks it behaves a bit like glass, but it can be filed and smoothed. It has been broken and repaired. Anyway, as you can see the "nicer" fittings on the grip are facing the back side when it's in the sheath. the dagger looked arabian peninsula to me, but the scabbard looks very Indian. In fact, it's much like a kukri sheath in construction, design, decoration, etc. So, my first thought was that the scabbard was matched to it after the fact. But it fits like an absolute glove, so I'm just not sure. Then I started to think that maybe when the repair was done the person reversed the silver floral-looking studs without realizing it. The thin, lower-quality coin-like studs were added when the repair was done, I believe. I decided to tackle it as a project. I worked all the silver loose and pulled the broken amber off, removed the blade, and wiped out all the gunk. Then mixed up some orange acrylic paint into some epoxy (thanks Tom for that idea on a previous project). I put the blade back in, slide the silver stud and pin back through the right way (there is a hole in the blade tang for it to pass through), added some epoxy, place the broken piece back over and into place as perfect as possible, and let it set. then I replaced the rest of the fittings and polished up a few rough spots. It looks better and the repair is definitely stronger now. I still can't decide the origins of this one though. Any thoughts? I decided t Attached Images

14th July 2005, 05:01 PM	#2
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	These are the "after" pics: Attached Images

14th July 2005, 05:49 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Derek, Nice jambiya, and nice work you have don't, but why don't you think it can't be from SW coast of Indian? Jens

14th July 2005, 05:56 PM	#4
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Hi Jens, Thanks. It certainly could be, I just haven't seen amber grip examples that weren't arabian peninsula before. You think it's all Indian then? -d

14th July 2005, 07:11 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,294	Artzi's got something very similar in his new listings which he lists as Yemeni . I wonder if the scabbard toe may be a more recent addition ?

14th July 2005, 07:36 PM	#6
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Hi Rick, Good one pointing that out. I feel fairly certain about the jambiya itself being arabian, esp. with Artzi's comparable example. However, the scabbard is quite different. The pattern in the leather, the toe (which may have been added later), the leather flap on the back with the single nail tacking it in place are classic features of many Indian kukri scabbards. Maybe it was dumb luck that the owner found a scabbard that exactly matched? -d

14th July 2005, 07:48 PM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Derek, here's a good site that has some tips on identifying amber: http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/ident.htm