Marsh Arab (Iraqi)? Jambiya

[Lee]

harrywagner's thread on his Kurdish dagger on his Kurdish dagger brought similarities with this dagger to mind and following Kubur's inquiry on variations on this theme, I thought I would post this jambiya for comments.

I saw similar themed niello work on a silverwork item in a London antique shop and the owner of the shop, who was of Iraqi origin, indicated it was typical of items associated with the 'Marsh' Arabs.

I apologize that my photo setup does poorly with highly reflective items.

[A.alnakkas]

Hey Lee,

Basically, Iraqi arms is one of the most poorly researched fields. Mainly, because Iraqi stuff often look like Syrian (the swords at least)

When it comes to those niello daggers (and swords) with river scenes and some times gold coins, the subject is slightly better known at least by Arabs than compared to other styles. These are made by Sabaean silversmiths who made various items. Sometimes you find redressed items and very good blades too with these silver niello decoration.

There was a shop owned by a Sabaean that specialized in this, I had a note about it somewhere that I cant find at the moment. I think the shop was closed in the 70's and was very popular in Iraq.

[Lee]

Thank you again; a Google search for 'Sabaean niello' proved productive. My pictures hide a very nicely bold wootz Damascus blade with a very well formed mid rib. I expect someone was once quite proud of this jambiya.

[harrywagner]

Good find Lee. That's a real beauty!

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Lee

Thank you again; a Google search for 'Sabaean niello' proved productive. My pictures hide a very nicely bold wootz Damascus blade with a very well formed mid rib. I expect someone was once quite proud of this jambiya.

Well the maker certainly is, he has his name on it, Work of Nasser :-)

I had a very fine one, with a Persian blade.. I am sure I have photos somewhere. Gave it off for a friend who saved me from a very awkward situation. Will try and get photos of it.

Not all their products have the river scene.. some is very similar to the Caucasian stuff.

[Kubur]

Hi Guys,

It's really a beautifull dagger!
Tell me if I'm wrong:

I think it's the river Tigris.
And the ruins are the palace of the Sassanian king in ctesiphon.
Just 30km from Bagdad!


Kubur

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hi Guys,

It's really a beautifull dagger!
Tell me if I'm wrong:

I think it's the river Tigris.
And the ruins are the palace of the Sassanian king in ctesiphon.
Just 30km from Bagdad!


Kubur

Kuber, you are right.

PALACE OF SHAPUR I, Ctesiphon, Iraq
The son and successor of Artaxerxes, Shapur I, built a great palace at Ctesiphon, the capital his father had established near modern day Baghdad in Iraq. The central feature of Shapur’s palace was the monumental iwan, or brick audience hall, covered by a vault (here, a deep arch over an oblong space) that came almost to a point of more than 100 feet above the ground. A series of horizontal bands made up of blind arcades (a series of arches without openings, applied as wall decoration) divide the facade to the left and right of the iwan.
The New Persian empire (Sasanian) endured more than 400 years, until the Arabs drove the Sasanians out of Mesopotamia in 636 CE, just four years after the death of Muhammad. But the prestige of Sasanian art and architecture outlasted the empire. A thousand years after Shapur built his palace at Ctesiphon, Islamic architects still considered its soaring iwan as the standing for judging their own engineering feats.

[Lee]

I guess I should have suspected that the scene was of a real place on the basis of it being repeated on several items I have seen, but I failed to make the connection and thank you, Kubur and estcrh, for the image and information.

On eBay I saw other items so decorated, and read that many of the small silver items were made as souvenirs for servicemen in 1915-1918 in Amara (along the Tigris) where there was a British military hospital.

A. alnakkas, I think Nasser had a right to be proud of his work on this piece, though some of the excellent detail may be a result of a larger 'canvas.' I have attached a zoom into one of the pictures above with a bit of contrast enhancement to show the wootz pattern. Considering the quality of the blade, do you think this dagger was made for local use or is it from the higher end of the items made for travelers?

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Lee

I have attached a zoom into one of the pictures above with a bit of contrast enhancement to show the wootz pattern. Considering the quality of the blade, do you think this dagger was made for local use or is it from the higher end of the items made for travelers?

That steel just looks to good for a tourist item.

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Lee

nakkas, I think Nasser had a right to be proud of his work on this piece, though some of the excellent detail may be a result of a larger 'canvas.' I have attached a zoom into one of the pictures above with a bit of contrast enhancement to show the wootz pattern. Considering the quality of the blade, do you think this dagger was made for local use or is it from the higher end of the items made for travelers?

I wouldnt call these 'tourist' items. While some have flimsy blades, the quality of the silver work is respect worthy. Also, both this type and the Marsh Arab type was used locally.

An interesting thing too I remember Steve Gracie's Jambiya book mentioning an Iraqi silvermaker working in Yemen, his pieces also use the river scene but on Yemeni style jambiyas.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Lee

. Considering the quality of the blade, do you think this dagger was made for local use or is it from the higher end of the items made for travelers?

Hi,
It's a serious question.
And I have a different opinion from my colleagues.
Why dissociate higher local users and travelers or tourists?
These objects are from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th c.
There were few tourists and travellers, not like now.
It's clear that the craftmen who did these objects were very skilled and with a deep knowledge. They probably worked for both wealthy local elite and rich travellers. Or even the objects were produced to satisfy both local and travellers. No one can say! I just know that nowadays the techniques are lost or almost and objects for tourists are of a very low quality if not made in China!! My comments can be applied to daggers as Qajar axes and other objets from the end of the 19th c...
Best,
Kubur

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

I remember Steve Gracie's Jambiya book mentioning an Iraqi silvermaker working in Yemen, his pieces also use the river scene but on Yemeni style jambiyas.

For Oman too
In Hales book, you have an Omani khanjar with Iraki niello work...

[kahnjar1]

I was always of the understanding that the Marsh Arab dagger had a different shaped hilt like the one in this pic.
Perhaps someone could clarify this for me please.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

I was always of the understanding that the Marsh Arab dagger had a different shaped hilt like the one in this pic.
Perhaps someone could clarify this for me please.

You are right.
Marsh and the Delta up to Bassorah. Basically the South...
The example above is for Bagdad and it's the so-called Kurdish style, the North.
Please, see my comments above and the previous post...
Best,
Kubur

[Kubur]

Sold recently
I think that's clearly demonstrate that a lot of OUR end of 19th c. daggers are tourist pieces...
Kubur

[Bob A]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think Iraq was so called until about 1920. The jambiya so marked above would be post 1920, if I'm correct.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Bob A

I may be mistaken, but I don't think Iraq was so called until about 1920. The jambiya so marked above would be post 1920, if I'm correct.

Yes and I would suspect that this is a souvenir type. If it were other than that it, would not IMHO have IRAQ written on it.
Stu