Mysterious knife number 2

mariusgmioc · 19th November 2019, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francantolin

Hello and thank you for all the informations !!

does anybody know how do they for blackening the blade like that in the 19th century ?
by heating or oxydation ?
I don't think they used gun blue !

They did it like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niello

Kubur · 19th November 2019, 08:12 PM

Here is the classic Tunisian dagger from 1900 1920ties
But it wont be fair to call it touristy, i prefer to say colonial souvenir....
These daggers are very sharp and very pointy, not toys.
It will be cool if Ibraheem or others can translate the inscription...

Kubur · 19th November 2019, 09:31 PM

And here the early 19th c one

francantolin · 20th November 2019, 01:27 PM

Really like the last one with coral and turquoise !!

kwiatek · 22nd November 2019, 10:21 PM

The first says:

صنع في بنزرت

suni’a fi binzart

“Made in Benzart (Bizerte)”

The second says, I think:

اسلاح (السلاح) نافع للعدو دافع

a(l)-silah nafi’ li’l-‘aduww dafi’

“The weapon is useful, it repels the enemy.”

Both are in a Maghribi hand

G. Mansfield · 6th December 2019, 02:46 AM

I believe these examples are from the early 20th century, souk pieces, but post #1 is definitely an older piece. I have also seen similar hilt decoration with the brass circle-dot, brass wire, tacks, and coral from the late 19th century with Balkan form handles like that of Sarajevo models. Attached is an example that I received earlier this year very similar to the examples previously posted above.

-Geoff

G. Mansfield · 8th December 2019, 02:24 AM

Here is a similar decorated bichaq in Balkan form next to the Tunisian dagger. Notice how the coral and brass inlays are almost identical between the two. Could the Bizerte dagger's decoration have been influenced from across the Mediterranean from Ottoman times and trade? Posted also is another closely related example from Oriental arms described as Mediterranean
/Balkan and dated 1278 (1861).

Link: http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5845

-Geoff

francantolin · 8th December 2019, 11:10 AM

Really nice item !

Sure the shape of the hilt looks like a Sarajevo bichaq !
Maybe this one comes not from balkan but
has been made in Tunisia for east Europa market ?

19th November 2019, 08:12 PM	#2
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Here is the classic Tunisian dagger from 1900 1920ties But it wont be fair to call it touristy, i prefer to say colonial souvenir.... These daggers are very sharp and very pointy, not toys. It will be cool if Ibraheem or others can translate the inscription... Attached Images

19th November 2019, 09:31 PM	#3
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	And here the early 19th c one Attached Images

6th December 2019, 02:46 AM	#6
G. Mansfield Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Colorado Posts: 91	I believe these examples are from the early 20th century, souk pieces, but post #1 is definitely an older piece. I have also seen similar hilt decoration with the brass circle-dot, brass wire, tacks, and coral from the late 19th century with Balkan form handles like that of Sarajevo models. Attached is an example that I received earlier this year very similar to the examples previously posted above. -Geoff Attached Images

8th December 2019, 02:24 AM	#7
G. Mansfield Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Colorado Posts: 91	Here is a similar decorated bichaq in Balkan form next to the Tunisian dagger. Notice how the coral and brass inlays are almost identical between the two. Could the Bizerte dagger's decoration have been influenced from across the Mediterranean from Ottoman times and trade? Posted also is another closely related example from Oriental arms described as Mediterranean /Balkan and dated 1278 (1861). Link: http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5845 -Geoff Attached Images

20th November 2019, 01:27 PM	#4
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 905	Really like the last one with coral and turquoise !!

22nd November 2019, 10:21 PM	#5
kwiatek Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 153	The first says: صنع في بنزرت suni’a fi binzart “Made in Benzart (Bizerte)” The second says, I think: اسلاح (السلاح) نافع للعدو دافع a(l)-silah nafi’ li’l-‘aduww dafi’ “The weapon is useful, it repels the enemy.” Both are in a Maghribi hand

8th December 2019, 11:10 AM	#8
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 905	Really nice item ! Sure the shape of the hilt looks like a Sarajevo bichaq ! Maybe this one comes not from balkan but has been made in Tunisia for east Europa market ?