Algerian Kaybele/Ifflyssen?

Yvain · 16th October 2020, 07:20 AM

"Proper knife" and "made for visiting French colonizers" aren't mutually exclusive. Camille Lacoste, in her article "Sabres Kabyles" (https://www.persee.fr/doc/jafr_0037-...1_T1_0135_0000), describes the evolution of the flissa after the conquest of Algeria, outlining the development of new forms adapted to this growing market :

-grip attached by the mean of an hidden tang instead of the traditional integral bolster and flat short tang

-no brass cover on the grip and non-traditional shapes (there is also old flissa grips without brass covers, but they are then shaped in the traditional way)

-the appearance of a small iron guard

Moreover, still according to Lacoste, the Iflissen lost their monopoly on blade making after the 1850's, and those modern flissa were also frequently made by the Aït Fraoussen or the Aït Yenni.

However, Lacoste, writing in the 1950's, states that this development of new forms started one century earlier. So this could indeed be an 19th century flissa (judging from the apparent good quality of the blade, I don't believe it was made during the second part of the 20th century, but it's hard to tell from those pictures), though, it is not of a traditional design and was most likely made for French visitors.

Kubur · 16th October 2020, 07:29 AM

I agree with all the above.

This knife is a proper knife, from the turn of 1900. They are very common and most of the time very cheap, the price of a cigarette pack.

They are from the same family of the flyssa with a large wooden hilt and a European naval cutlass guard. They are also similar to the weeding nimcha or weeding flyssa as you wish.

Some of them look earlier, like the one with the Ottoman low grade silver sheat (with berber design), from the end of the 19thc.

The French were in Algeria since the 19thc. As I already said the tourist thing means nothing otherwise you can remove half of the Indian weapons from this forum.

16th October 2020, 07:29 AM	#2
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	I agree with all the above. This knife is a proper knife, from the turn of 1900. They are very common and most of the time very cheap, the price of a cigarette pack. They are from the same family of the flyssa with a large wooden hilt and a European naval cutlass guard. They are also similar to the weeding nimcha or weeding flyssa as you wish. Some of them look earlier, like the one with the Ottoman low grade silver sheat (with berber design), from the end of the 19thc. The French were in Algeria since the 19thc. As I already said the tourist thing means nothing otherwise you can remove half of the Indian weapons from this forum. Attached Images

16th October 2020, 07:20 AM	#1
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 179	"Proper knife" and "made for visiting French colonizers" aren't mutually exclusive. Camille Lacoste, in her article "Sabres Kabyles" (https://www.persee.fr/doc/jafr_0037-...1_T1_0135_0000), describes the evolution of the flissa after the conquest of Algeria, outlining the development of new forms adapted to this growing market : -grip attached by the mean of an hidden tang instead of the traditional integral bolster and flat short tang -no brass cover on the grip and non-traditional shapes (there is also old flissa grips without brass covers, but they are then shaped in the traditional way) -the appearance of a small iron guard Moreover, still according to Lacoste, the Iflissen lost their monopoly on blade making after the 1850's, and those modern flissa were also frequently made by the Aït Fraoussen or the Aït Yenni. However, Lacoste, writing in the 1950's, states that this development of new forms started one century earlier. So this could indeed be an 19th century flissa (judging from the apparent good quality of the blade, I don't believe it was made during the second part of the 20th century, but it's hard to tell from those pictures), though, it is not of a traditional design and was most likely made for French visitors.