interesting "coin" on a Jambiya

blue lander · 4th April 2014, 09:22 PM

Point taken - if it was Rhino I wouldn't want to know. I tried shining a flashlight through it and it's completely opaque, so I think that rules out any kind of horn anyway. Or does horn only turn translucent when it's old? I'll poke it with a hot needle to see if it's plastic and leave it at that.

Thank you for IDing the coin. I wonder why the 4 seems to have been deliberately turned backward. Perhaps somebody repaired the die they were using to stamp these things out and got the number backwards.

Edit: I did the hot needle test, it melted a little rather than burning like wood. It didn't smell like plastic but it didn't smell exactly like hair either. I wetted it down and it smelled a bit musty. I'm going to assume it's bull horn and leave it at that.

kahnjar1 · 5th April 2014, 04:34 AM

Hi Blue Lander
Your "coin" as stated by Spiral, is a copy of the British Sovereign/Half Sovereign and shows St George slaying a dragon. It is of course not gold but is made of brass. Another "coin" copy often seen is that of a Venetian coin of Duke Aloys Mocenigo (1570-77). The name given to these decorative buttons is HURUF.
The hilt of your jambiya could be either bone or horn of some sort as other horn types were used apart from Rhino.
I would also comment that the belt looks as if it is hand embroidered rather than machine done, which would suggest perhaps that it is less likely to be a mass produced tourist piece.
Stu

blue lander · 5th April 2014, 01:40 PM

Thank you. I really like the belt as well, the colors are very vibrant. It's nowhere near long enough to fit around my American sized gut, though. Definitely for a man of a smaller build.

I know it's nigh impossible to tell what animal a horn came from just from pictures, but I'm attaching some close ups for the heck of it. The horn tubules are rather pretty I think.

spiral · 5th April 2014, 03:59 PM

There note tubules there fibres, that's the difference.

The Yeminis work hard to enhance the structure of Buffalo to make it look more exotic.

The split & grain tells the story as well.

But its all keratin of a bovine. {very different structure though.}

Spiral

blue lander · 5th April 2014, 04:35 PM

Ah, gotcha.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 5th April 2014, 06:15 PM

Yes its bovine.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi

4th April 2014, 09:22 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	Point taken - if it was Rhino I wouldn't want to know. I tried shining a flashlight through it and it's completely opaque, so I think that rules out any kind of horn anyway. Or does horn only turn translucent when it's old? I'll poke it with a hot needle to see if it's plastic and leave it at that. Thank you for IDing the coin. I wonder why the 4 seems to have been deliberately turned backward. Perhaps somebody repaired the die they were using to stamp these things out and got the number backwards. Edit: I did the hot needle test, it melted a little rather than burning like wood. It didn't smell like plastic but it didn't smell exactly like hair either. I wetted it down and it smelled a bit musty. I'm going to assume it's bull horn and leave it at that. Last edited by blue lander; 5th April 2014 at 03:28 AM.

5th April 2014, 01:40 PM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	Thank you. I really like the belt as well, the colors are very vibrant. It's nowhere near long enough to fit around my American sized gut, though. Definitely for a man of a smaller build. I know it's nigh impossible to tell what animal a horn came from just from pictures, but I'm attaching some close ups for the heck of it. The horn tubules are rather pretty I think. Attached Images

5th April 2014, 04:34 AM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,786	Hi Blue Lander Your "coin" as stated by Spiral, is a copy of the British Sovereign/Half Sovereign and shows St George slaying a dragon. It is of course not gold but is made of brass. Another "coin" copy often seen is that of a Venetian coin of Duke Aloys Mocenigo (1570-77). The name given to these decorative buttons is HURUF. The hilt of your jambiya could be either bone or horn of some sort as other horn types were used apart from Rhino. I would also comment that the belt looks as if it is hand embroidered rather than machine done, which would suggest perhaps that it is less likely to be a mass produced tourist piece. Stu

5th April 2014, 03:59 PM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	There note tubules there fibres, that's the difference. The Yeminis work hard to enhance the structure of Buffalo to make it look more exotic. The split & grain tells the story as well. But its all keratin of a bovine. {very different structure though.} Spiral

5th April 2014, 04:35 PM	#5
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	Ah, gotcha.

5th April 2014, 06:15 PM	#6
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Yes its bovine. Ibrahiim al Balooshi