Omani Jambiya for comments

[Gavin Nugent]

Gene, have a little look closer at the surfaces and cross section of surfaces..
The info below may help you work it out as you have the piece in hand.

The initial image showed a good possibility of marine ivory especially with the fluted waist. Your follow up images also indicated that it could be marine ivory despite that the medulla wasn't utalized, (Small edges of the Medulla could well be present under the backing silver depending on the size of a tusk used and where and how a tusk is cut). Your further images also indicated the possibility or Elephant ivory. When considering Elephant ivory the cross section should reveal the Lines of Retzius or engine tuning.

[Nathaniel]

Great condition...beautiful craftsmanship...good photography! I'm sure this is a story we can all relate too...glad it finally found it's way to you. Thanks for sharing!!!

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

Great condition...beautiful craftsmanship...good photography! I'm sure this is a story we can all relate too...glad it finally found it's way to you. Thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks Nathaniel.


Gav,
I'll have to have a better look in daylight.
Back tomorrow.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Gene, have a little look closer at the surfaces and cross section of surfaces..
The info below may help you work it out as you have the piece in hand.

The initial image showed a good possibility of marine ivory especially with the fluted waist. Your follow up images also indicated that it could be marine ivory despite that the medulla wasn't utalized, (Small edges of the Medulla could well be present under the backing silver depending on the size of a tusk used and where and how a tusk is cut). Your further images also indicated the possibility or Elephant ivory. When considering Elephant ivory the cross section should reveal the Lines of Retzius or engine tuning.

Gav,
It's really difficult to show, but I think I can see signs of the 'engine turning' on the end, LOL great description!

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Gav,
It's really difficult to show, but I think I can see signs of the 'engine turning' on the end, LOL great description!

I can see it faint as it is. Gav being that it is a mid to later 20th century piece walrus ivory would not have been used you only see this type of material on hilts prior to say the 1920s. Btw the raw walrus ivory ban was established in 1972.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Lew

I can see it faint as it is. Gav being that it is a mid to later 20th century piece walrus ivory would not have been used you only see this type of material on hilts prior to say the 1920s. Btw the raw walrus ivory ban was established in 1972.

20th century, but certainly plenty old enough to pre-date the Ivory ban here.

Lew!
LOL, just realised it's your first post to the thread and NO OPINION?
Come on bud! What do you think?

[Lew]

I think it is a superb example the rib on the blade is nicely forged and is of excellent quality. I would place the age around around 1950 but could be a bit earlier. You did well my friend

[kahnjar1]

As I previously said---mid 2oth century. I think we tend to forget that we are now in the 21st Century! Agreed 1950ish....mid 20th century.
Stu

[Atlantia]

Lew,

Thank you.
Thats very kind of you to say bud

Stu,

Cheers for the clarification on the age. Glad you like it too of course

Best
Gene

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Gav,
It's really difficult to show, but I think I can see signs of the 'engine turning' on the end, LOL great description!

Lovely Omani Khanjar full of patina. Its comes from Sur the famous seafaring town south down the coast from Muscat.. 1950 or near. See my thread about scabbard making as that was in Sur. I may be imagining it but there is some arabic on the head of the hilt? Undecipherable possibly dated? Omani Khanjars do occasionally have "Fils" or elephant tusk hilts but being a seafaring town Sur would have some made with Walrus. They occasionally use the same material on Yemeni hilts. The Khanjar has nice Mulberry Fruit on the crown.. a common tree in Oman. The buckle is fine and it is interesting that the silver makers used to use cuttlefish shells to cast the clasp then refinish after. This Khanjar is a very nice example !

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Lovely Omani Khanjar full of patina. Its comes from Sur the famous seafaring town south down the coast from Muscat.. 1950 or near. See my thread about scabbard making as that was in Sur. I may be imagining it but there is some arabic on the head of the hilt? Undecipherable possibly dated? Omani Khanjars do occasionally have "Fils" or elephant tusk hilts but being a seafaring town Sur would have some made with Walrus. They occasionally use the same material on Yemeni hilts. The Khanjar has nice Mulberry Fruit on the crown.. a common tree in Oman. The buckle is fine and it is interesting that the silver makers used to use cuttlefish shells to cast the clasp then refinish after. This Khanjar is a very nice example !

Excellent information, thank you very much Ibrahiim.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Excellent information, thank you very much Ibrahiim.

However ive been looking at this in some detail and have decided its elephant. Picture attached is elephant also. Other information still stands.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

However ive been looking at this in some detail and have decided its elephant. Picture attached is elephant also. Other information still stands.

Hi Ibrahiim,

Sorry, I thought that was what you were saying in the last post, that some are Walrus, but this one is Elephant?

LOL, yes, definately not Walrus.

Thanks again
Best
Gene