Some Jambiyas

[Gavin Nugent]

I have been doing a lot of sympathy buying of late since I was out bid on an incorrectly catalogued 16th century Venetian War hammer .

These are a couple of the half a dozen or so weapons I bought of late, Dha, Dao, clubs, Tibetan sword, some may find there way to the swap forum as I bought them in groups but these two look like they will display well and I'd like to learn more by having them in my hands, so with the minister for war and finance's permission they will stay around the office and be displayed.

I have only ever held a couple of old Jambiyas that were war trophies from Australian WW1 vets, very nice old ivory handled pieces they were, since then I have always been looking here and looking there with no great interest, then as nature would have it I bought these two as the opportunity arose.
Apart from reading what there is within these pages about Jambiya and thanks Lew for posting what you have over time, I would love to know more about these two for learning sake and see what they are and how old they may be. The handles are horn and that is about all I can say for now as due to import restrictions here for small double edged weapons it will be at least 6 weeks before I see them.


Gav

[Lew]

Gav

Both jambiyas are Omani 1940-60 I would say. They could be older but it's hard to say from the pics.

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Lou, I hope you are happy with your Nimcha!

As you have had a fair bit of imput on these over the years, are there any particular links or readings that you can offer up on learning further about the subject with regards to dating and origins other than Oriental arms? Would you per chance have specific comparisons in your collection? The decorative nature of these items is always interesting to me.

Gav

[Lew]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Thanks Lou, I hope you are happy with your Nimcha!

As you have had a fair bit of imput on these over the years, are there any particular links or readings that you can offer up on learning further about the subject with regards to dating and origins other than Oriental arms? Would you per chance have specific comparisons in your collection? The decorative nature of these items is always interesting to me.

Gav

Hi Gav

Yes the nimcha arrived a few days ago thanks As far as these Omani jambiyas are concerned I do not have any examples in my collection but I remember reading that they were originally designed by a princess or wife of one of the kings of Oman many years ago?

The story goes that the Persian queen of Oman, the loyal loving Persian wife of Al Bu Said Sayydi Ibn Sultan who reigned Oman in 1806-1856, thought that the classical Omani Khanjar, with the rather simple I shaped handles was boring, and designed a new and more flashy khanjar dagger for her husband's birthday. The new style rapidly became very popular and its use was spread all over the Arabian peninsula.


Lew

[kahnjar1]

F Y I these 2 are from the United Arab Emirates and not Oman. Could be late 19th century but more likely early to mid 20th century. They are not anything out of the ordinary, and follow the general pattern for Khanjars from that area.
The Al bu Said Khanjar to which Lew refers is an entirely different shape, and although probably fairly hard to get in the gold presentation model, is relatively common in the standard silver. I have attached a couple of pics reproduced from a book showing the Al bu Said type. You will note that quite a number of these appear in the pic of the Omani Khanjars.
Regards Stuart

[Lew]

Stuart

I hate to split hairs with you but Before 1971, the UAE were known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference to a nineteenth-century truce between Britain and several Arab Sheikhs. Since the UAE is just to the north of Oman these could be a northern variation of an Omani khanjar? The lines are a bit blurred here I think when speaking of the two styles. Below are several styles of Omani khanjar/jambiya as you can there are a few variations. The last photo is of T.E. Lawerence and he is wearing what looks an Omani style Jambiya of an older style so maybe styles change over time and region? At the bottom is another photo of Lawrence taken in Jidda or Jedda Saudi Arabia wearing another Omani Jamiya/khanjar so I guess that style did get around quite a bit back then.

Lew

[kahnjar1]

Hi Lew,
Yes your points are well taken re Oman/Trucial States. The boundaries are rather clouded, but the HILT styles tell the story. The particular hilts styles on Gavins Khanjar are originally from the (modern) UAE area or Arabia.
With reference to your pics, the second one is an Al bu Said hilt, and the 3rd one is a Meccan Style hilt but with an Omani style scabbard.
Re the 2 pics of T E Lawrence---in the left pic he is wearing a Khanjar with a MECCAN style hilt, and in the righthand one, an Al bu Said hilt. According to popular belief he had a preference for Meccan style Khanjar, and in fact had a gold Khanjar made for him in Mecca in 1917. This particular Khanjar is now in a private collection.
It must be remembered that prior to WW 1 (1914), Arabia was very much unknown, and the only contact was with traders and trading on the coasts. Various tribes tended to be rather fixed in their areas and it was only when someone elses style of Khanjar found its way to a new area, that the mix of styles found today began. Its an interesting and at times frustrating task to clearly identify exactly where each style comes from.

[Lew]

Stuart

We need to start working on that time machine so we can go back and figure this out Funny I have never seen a jambiya/khanjar that was say from the 17th or 18th centuries I wonder if there are any examples out there lurking about?

Lew

[Lew]

Hey this guy has one in his shop in Yemen


Knife-seller Abdullah al Azeri shows off a 300-year-old jambiya dagger that he says is worth more than $25,000. Azeri says his family has been in the knife business for more than 1,000 years.

[kahnjar1]

Hi Lew,
We are probably getting away from Gavins original thread, but my personal comment to the age of that Jambiya in the pic is probably not printable. I have seen far too many Yemeni "genuine antique" daggers to believe the provenance without getting a VERY good look at the item. Old Jambiya in my experience NEVER have such a highly polished blade! As a rule I would NEVER buy ANY Yemeni item without being able to see it first. There are far too many fakes coming out of that area.
Regards Stuart

[Gavin Nugent]

Great discussion gents, one can leave very happy with the knowledge that has been shared here. The getting away from my original thread as you say Stu is of great benefit for myself and others who know little about this fasinating and some what mystical knife and it's clouded history.
As Jim has always pointed out, historical ethic boundries and the changing of these boundries are very important in the discussion of weaponry and it is the weapons of this cross over of boundries that we all find so fasinating.
Please continue..

regards

Gav

[Lew]

Gav

If you travel to Yemen you should read this first. I copied this from an article.





May 18, 2007
Beware of jambiya-snatchers
When in Yemen, leave your fancy dagger at home:

Abdul Wali Ali al-Robaiyee, 67, of Sana’a, owner of 30 very pricey jambiyas, describes one of the ways that thieves use to snatch a jambiya from an unsuspecting victim. First, the attacker tosses a cloud of spices into the eyes of the victim, temporarily blinding him. This gives the thief enough time to snatch the jambiya from its sheath and flee. This procedure is mostly done in the old city of Sana’a, because streets are narrow and winding, making escape easy, said al-Robaiyee.

“In the old city of Sana’a this happens more than any other place. The small streets and the numerous side roads can make the victim very distracted, so that he loses the thief quickly.” “Some even run into stores or even homes, making it easier for them to disappear. The victim would stay at least five minutes with his eyes blurry and burning, and in the end he lost a very costly jambiya.” The number of jambiya thefts has been greater this year than ever before, said Abdul-Salaam al-Shibami of the Sana’a police department in Bab al-Yemen.

“It started more than 10 years ago, but now it is increasing, and thieves are using different techniques. I advise older people who walk alone during the later part of the night not to wear their jambiyas for their own safety.”

[Michael Blalock]

Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older.

[Michael Blalock]

Here is a picture of the Sultan of Oman holding a kattara with the al bu said type of hilt and also a picture of the emir of Abu Dhabi, Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, wearing the UAE type khanjar and holding a kattara with a hilt of the usual type.

[kahnjar1]

Still on the same track, here are some examples from my collection of Meccan and Omani Khanjars.
The first 2 pics are of Meccan Jambiyas and the last 2 of Omani Khanjars.
Clear difference in the hilt is evident.
Regards Stuart

[Lew]

Stuart

Is it just the hilt or are Omani khanjars larger in stature then the UAE ones?

[Oriental-Arms]

Two comments to this interesting thread:


1) Styles: I wish to suggest a somewhat different approach to the different styles. I would rather define the style on the basis of the scabbard shape and not the hilt shape. Reason being that today it is quite difficult to find a good Khanjar with the handle born together with the scabbard. Blades and handles were commonly replaced, either because the blade was worn or just a wish to wear a new or different style handle. In the last ten or twenty years it become even more difficult. The demands (especially in the far east) for rhino horn in view of the imposed limitation of trade in it, caused many owners / dealers and traders to remove rhino handle from old khanjars and replace it with newly made silver or plastic handles.

I have in my collection quite many Khanjars from all over the Arabian Peninsula, some are with replaced handles. But even those which I trust to be original styles comes with a variety of handles. Best example may be are the daggers from the Hadramouth region, with the very high rising scabbard tip. I have seen those with old rhino handles with a round bulbous pommel, with I shaped handles with flat pommel and all the other variations. Yet, they are all from Hadramouth.

2) Dating: When this style of dagger appeared on the scene is a mystery. I have not seen in person any Khanjar older than early 19 C, and most of them are late 19 to early 20 C and later. Alain Jacob in his book les armes blanches du monde Islamic show few ones dated to the 18 C. but I have my reservations and I think they are all 19 C. The only earlier one with a serious provenance is shown by R. Elgood The arms and armor of Arabia dated to 1763, already mentioned above (and to be honest, if I would have seen this one in the market I would date it to the 19 C. as well).

[kahnjar1]

Hi Lew,
Not necessarily larger as size does vary even within a given type. The size of the 2 Meccan items shown is quite different. The one on the black belt is quite a deal smaller than the other. The so called GUSBI of southern Arabia has a very much longer hilt than other Kahnjar of the general area.
Regards Stuart

[Steve]

Hi folks,
Merry Xmas to you all. This is my first posting although I read a lot of your discussions but unfortunately have been a little lazy to post myself. However I feel that I can add some worthwhile comments here.

With regards to the khanjars originally posted by Gav. I have found them all over the UAE and Omani area. Many are displayed in the Dubai museum - for what it is. However don't rush there as it's quite small. I generally refer to them as Omani style from the SE corner of the Arabian Peninsula. The book " Disappearing Treasures of Oman" by Forster gives a pretty good description of these khanjars with some indication of identifying the town of manufacture by the scabbard design. In addition, having looked at a few of these khanjars I think the design of the toe or chape could give an indication of age as a cheap rounded version seems to have appeared over the last 30 years to make tourist manufacture easy.

With regards to identifying the different styles of jambiyas over the broader Peninsula. This I think is an interesting topic. Just in the southern Peninsula area I think there are at least twelve khanjar/jambiya varieties classified on regional or design criteria. Varying from Oman khanjars to the Sabiki but not entering into the realms of swords.

As raised by Artzi it is difficult to classify these daggers as the locals tend to mix and match the hilts, blades and scabbards depending on fashion. However the purists in Yemen believe you have to consider both the hilt and scabbard in identifying the dagger. Both pieces had an original birth and match. You are more likely to get a correct match of original dagger and scabbard with those pieces where the fitting between these items is very precise - example Omani khanjar - and less likely with a Sanaa thouma where any dagger which fits can be used.

I agree in that it's difficult to find pieces over 200 years old and it's very pleasing to have the 1763 example mentioned in Elgood. I also would also not have classified it as 250 years old just on the belt design. I have seen a similar sheath to this one. Very old and worn with the stamp of the Imam in the silver. Pre 200 years I think we are going into the era of iron or chunky silver scabbards which is a whole other topic.

Guys, thats about it for now. Hope I have added something.
Regards,
Steve

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks to everyone for their input on these lovely knives, there is much diversity and information to digest.

They have arrived and I am quite taken with them. I'll get to posting further images in a few days when time is easier to find.

I have a few questions though.

There are different materials used in the hilts of these, plastic, Rhino horn, timber, silver, ivory etc but I have also heard of giraffe hoof being used too.
As these two I have here are horn hilted jambiyas, is the any clear way of identifying the horn? Could they be giraffe hoof? Can anyone point to a good reference of identifying any hoof rather than horn?

Also the other question I have is one that opinions may vary, to clean off the tarnish or leave it? I am sure these will glow if it is removed but does this detract from their presence? Me personally, I would love to clean the silver and show off more of their beauty.

Gav

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Thanks to everyone for their input on these lovely knives, there is much diversity and information to digest.

They have arrived and I am quite taken with them. I'll get to posting further images in a few days when time is easier to find.

I have a few questions though.

There are different materials used in the hilts of these, plastic, Rhino horn, timber, silver, ivory etc but I have also heard of giraffe hoof being used too.
As these two I have here are horn hilted jambiyas, is the any clear way of identifying the horn? Could they be giraffe hoof? Can anyone point to a good reference of identifying any hoof rather than horn?

Also the other question I have is one that opinions may vary, to clean off the tarnish or leave it? I am sure these will glow if it is removed but does this detract from their presence? Me personally, I would love to clean the silver and show off more of their beauty.

Gav

If you are going to keep them yourself then by all means clean them, otherwise leave as is

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Stu, any other views on this matter or to clean or not to clean?

On the manner of hoof/horn identification, any idea to the notion I have presented?

Gav

[Steve]

Gav,
I'm sure members of this forum are more knowledgeable on this than I am. However the hoof handles I have seen have a more glutenous look and feel than the horn. Rhino, of course, has that strong defining fibrous structure.
If you have Tirri's book on African Weapons check figs 2-12 and 2-14. Fig 2-14 gives an actual size, side by side, comparison of rhino horn and giraffe hoof.
Tirri states the difference can be seen in colour and composition. The giraffe horn is a yellow/brown colour. Colour is difficult with rhino horn as I have seen variations from white/pale green, to yellow, to the usual brown and almost black. The two ends of the spectrum are quite rare and highly prized in the arabian area.
Steve

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Michael Blalock

Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older.

Salaams Michael Blalock. It is a long time since you sent a post Michael and I hope all is well. I picked up your letter as I was thumbing back through Forum history and by chance I just happenend to be reading Heart Beguiling Araby by Kathryn Tidrick and was on page 14 showing Carsten Niebuhr as in your post...I know of him from his famous sea charts which have his signature silhouettes of the various landmarks as viewed by navigators from their ships.
I note from the book~ He was the first European traveller to penetrate the interior of the Arabian peninsula and produce an articulate account of it...The only survivor of the infamous Danish expedition of 1761, though, not the leader he ought to have been (that was Christian von Haven described as arrogant, indolent and fearful) Niebuhr was not considered because of his background and upbringing being merely a poor surveyor from the Friesland marshes ~ However he was a superb map maker and his map of Yemen was favoured for over 100 years. Of the team that set off only he survived as Malaria killed the others though he caught it and survived. Niebuhr often dressed in the Arabian style shown in the lithograph and became famous for his maps and documentary "Travels in Arabia".

In the book I have just read he is one of the stepping stone characters cleverly used by the author to illustrate the English romance with Arabia along with Laurent d ' Arvieux, Jean Louis Burckhardt, Punch in the form of Thackeray climbing the pyramids, Richard Burton, William Gifford Palgrove, Wilfred Blunt, Faris Sheikh of the Shammar, Charles M. Doughty, Lawrence of Arabia and finally Gertrude Bell.

I assume the dagger he is wearing in the lithograph (A Yemeni Thouma) was the one he brought home.

Ah!! I wrote this before I saw your other post called this is interesting where you have identified the actual museum piece ... very nice...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Thanks to everyone for their input on these lovely knives, there is much diversity and information to digest.

They have arrived and I am quite taken with them. I'll get to posting further images in a few days when time is easier to find.

I have a few questions though.

There are different materials used in the hilts of these, plastic, Rhino horn, timber, silver, ivory etc but I have also heard of giraffe hoof being used too.
As these two I have here are horn hilted jambiyas, is the any clear way of identifying the horn? Could they be giraffe hoof? Can anyone point to a good reference of identifying any hoof rather than horn?

Also the other question I have is one that opinions may vary, to clean off the tarnish or leave it? I am sure these will glow if it is removed but does this detract from their presence? Me personally, I would love to clean the silver and show off more of their beauty.

Gav

Salaams freebooter~ I was about to write an article on Patina when I saw your post in library and decided to place it here with perhaps a copy on my "The Omani Khanjar" thread as well.. Naturally collectors admire and seek that syndrome we call patina but in the living breathing form i.e. Local Arab users of what we call ethnographic arms here in Arabia the view is different. These khanjars are for wearing and against a pure white dishdash, Omani national dress, the weapons must be spotlessly clean... Otherwise the silver oxide makes an awful mess as it rubs off onto the white dishdash robes ! Its as simple as that.
Quite often khanjars come in for cleaning... removal of the patina... but rest assured patina on silver returns really fast. It is continually oxidising ... In the store we have new items under glass which oxidise quite slowly and other khanjars... 50 or so hanging on the wall... that are full of patina ... A local client will often ask that a khanjar is cleaned before he takes it... It takes an hour... We use the same items as our silver workshops ... water and a brass bristled brush which only takes off the silver oxide and gives a burnished bright clean silver look... highly polished the khanjar is then dried in the sun, buffed with a clean cloth and ready for collection.
Of course this is opposite to what many collectors want... but as I say... patina on silver returns very quickly and in a few months it is complete ... at which point the collector may wish to highlight certain aspects of the silver in a partial polish up thus keeping the contrasting older patina partly intact.

Technically we don't actually remove patina but only by definition remove the "silver oxide" The old, rounded, soft effect to silver items is therefor enhanced but I hope my explanation describes the two views of the same subject.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.