Small Jambia

RobertGuy · 20th March 2017, 01:48 PM

Picked up a small Jambia dagger rcently. I had been looking for an example of an Arab style dagger to add to my collection and this was going cheap at a re-enactors market. It was in a dirty and rather battered state but the price was good. Once I cleaned it up I was quite pleased. Dagger hilt and sheath appear to be decorated silver The sheath has 2 small fixed side rings and a hooked shape. The blade is slim and not at all like the broad bladed Jambia with pronounced central rib that you see . The blade was roughhly finished and was unsharpened, no edge at all. There were prominant file marks , perhaps intended to imitate wootz ( i'm pretty sure it isn't woots but have tried to get some close up shots so people with more knowledge can make a judjement for themselves.

My stats
Weight in sheath: 7.4oz (0.21kg), Dagger only: 3.2oz (0.9kg)
Length overall in sheath: 12.75'' (32.5cm) Blade and hilt: 11'' (28cm) Blade only: 5.75'' (14.5cm)
POB: At cross piece
Profile taper: 0.76'' (19.3mm) at ricasso, 0.67'' (17.2mm)at mid blade, 0.44'' (11.7mm) 1 inches from tip.
Distal taper 0.11'' (3mm) at ricasso, 0.11'' (3mm)at mid blade,. 0.1'' (2.6mm) 2 inches from tip.

So questions:
Is this correctly identified as a jambia?
Where is it from?
Modern tourist piece?, old tourist piece?, somthing a bit nicer?

kronckew · 20th March 2017, 02:11 PM

it's more properly called a koummya of koummyah by collectors, from northwest africa, morrocco-ish. would normally have a couple suspension rings for a cord baldric in the scabbard flanges. the main edge is on the inside of the curve, unlike most jambiyah. there is a false edge on the outside of the curve.

modern ones are still bring made for the tourist market, usually with fairly thin blades (less than 4mm), older ones tend to have better defined & thicker blades. they are also frequently fairly roughly finished blades. nothing to do with wootz.

do a search here on 'koummya' for more info & examples. (or google)

mariusgmioc · 20th March 2017, 03:16 PM

I'm afraid that yours is a rather typical lower end, modern tourist example of a Moroccan Koummya dagger. Hope you didn't spend too much on it.

Sorry!

Kubur · 20th March 2017, 03:55 PM

Pffff no more to add, sadly very very recent and low quality.
Write koummiya.
Sorry

kronckew · 20th March 2017, 06:36 PM

i didn't want to say that outright , but suspected y'all are correct. i was trying to imply that tho. i hear the markets in morrocco are full of them. i have one that is engraved/scratched by hand 'algeria 1939' on the back of the scabbard. i hate it.

RobertGuy · 20th March 2017, 07:26 PM

Thanks everybody. It's nice to be pointed in the right direction. I didn't pay much for it and it has polished up well so I am happy to have an example of the type in my collection.

20th March 2017, 01:48 PM	#1
RobertGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 135	Small Jambia Picked up a small Jambia dagger rcently. I had been looking for an example of an Arab style dagger to add to my collection and this was going cheap at a re-enactors market. It was in a dirty and rather battered state but the price was good. Once I cleaned it up I was quite pleased. Dagger hilt and sheath appear to be decorated silver The sheath has 2 small fixed side rings and a hooked shape. The blade is slim and not at all like the broad bladed Jambia with pronounced central rib that you see . The blade was roughhly finished and was unsharpened, no edge at all. There were prominant file marks , perhaps intended to imitate wootz ( i'm pretty sure it isn't woots but have tried to get some close up shots so people with more knowledge can make a judjement for themselves. My stats Weight in sheath: 7.4oz (0.21kg), Dagger only: 3.2oz (0.9kg) Length overall in sheath: 12.75'' (32.5cm) Blade and hilt: 11'' (28cm) Blade only: 5.75'' (14.5cm) POB: At cross piece Profile taper: 0.76'' (19.3mm) at ricasso, 0.67'' (17.2mm)at mid blade, 0.44'' (11.7mm) 1 inches from tip. Distal taper 0.11'' (3mm) at ricasso, 0.11'' (3mm)at mid blade,. 0.1'' (2.6mm) 2 inches from tip. So questions: Is this correctly identified as a jambia? Where is it from? Modern tourist piece?, old tourist piece?, somthing a bit nicer? Attached Images

20th March 2017, 06:36 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	i didn't want to say that outright , but suspected y'all are correct. i was trying to imply that tho. i hear the markets in morrocco are full of them. i have one that is engraved/scratched by hand 'algeria 1939' on the back of the scabbard. i hate it. Attached Images

20th March 2017, 02:11 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	it's more properly called a koummya of koummyah by collectors, from northwest africa, morrocco-ish. would normally have a couple suspension rings for a cord baldric in the scabbard flanges. the main edge is on the inside of the curve, unlike most jambiyah. there is a false edge on the outside of the curve. modern ones are still bring made for the tourist market, usually with fairly thin blades (less than 4mm), older ones tend to have better defined & thicker blades. they are also frequently fairly roughly finished blades. nothing to do with wootz. do a search here on 'koummya' for more info & examples. (or google)

20th March 2017, 03:16 PM	#3
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	I'm afraid that yours is a rather typical lower end, modern tourist example of a Moroccan Koummya dagger. Hope you didn't spend too much on it. Sorry!

20th March 2017, 03:55 PM	#4
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Pffff no more to add, sadly very very recent and low quality. Write koummiya. Sorry

20th March 2017, 07:26 PM	#6
RobertGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 135	Thanks everybody. It's nice to be pointed in the right direction. I didn't pay much for it and it has polished up well so I am happy to have an example of the type in my collection.