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#1 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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Hi all ,this is another find which I have recently picked up , Im very much a novice but thought this dagger was of good quality , I believe its of Persian origin with ivory handle and is quite long measuring in total 40 cm and blade 29 cm , im stuck on whether this is a wootz blade ive tried to take a picture the best I can, is it advisable to etch the blade ?
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Nashville
Posts: 314
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Nice find. It is an a Pesh Qabz and I would place it from modern day Afghanistan, most likely from the 1800s. It seems to be very nicely built. I don't think it is wootz, from the look of it in the pictures.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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Hi thanks for your reply , I have taken a few more pictures of the blade there seems to be a pattern to the blade but hard to photo,
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,718
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Why dont you try to etch it?
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#5 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
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Interesting structure of the material of the handle. If in Africa, I would be covinced - hipo tooth.
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#6 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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thanks |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Nashville
Posts: 314
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Try something stronger or immerse it in vinegar for much longer. I do see a little bit of pattern in the new picture though.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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I have taken a couple of pics with my mobile phone which seems to show the pattern slightly better
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#9 |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
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Your Pesh-kabz is, in my opinion, north Indian from early 19th century and certainly wootz. For etching, you can find a lot of information on this forum. I documented the process step by step.
Congratulations for such a nice piece! ![]() |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 444
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Looks like very nice crystalline wootz. I echo what the others have said regarding age. Nice to have the scabbard, too. Be sure to condition that, as well.
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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#12 |
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 539
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In my opinion
leave scabbard as is It is an old knife that will I assume never be used as a knife nor carried so no need to make the scabbard what it isn’t also if you resell later the scabbard will look new and bring age of blade into question Cleaning the blade and etching it will enhance though and be fully reversible. Did you add washing up liquid to the hot vinegar as it breaks up surface tension in the vinegar and leads to a more even spread of liquid on the blade Ps lovely item Regards Ken |
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#13 | |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
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A lovely Pesh-Kabz, wootz blade and ivory handle. As Martin noted, could well be hippo, hard to tell the difference by photos. A Fine dagger!!! |
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#14 | |
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Posts: 143
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#15 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
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As with the scabbard, in my oppinion any arrempt ti "repair" it will decrease it's value... significantly. You may as well have a completely new scabbard, bright and shiny, made for the knife, but it's historic value will be nothing. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
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How about restoring the scabbard with antique/19th C silk or leather?
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#17 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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Thankyou |
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#18 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 2,222
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![]() some pictures with the cellphone of the ivory would surely help ![]() |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mother North
Posts: 189
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Hi,
I would need better pics to be certain, but it definitely looks like elephant ivory. This pattern shows, because the piece is cut so it covers both the bark and core ivory of the tusk. Bark and core material often color differently with time, because of their slightly different composition. - Beautful knife! Cheers, Thor |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 143
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I have taken a few close up pics of the handle hope this will help decide what its made from
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mother North
Posts: 189
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Yup, it's elephant.
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#22 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
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#23 | |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Dec 2014
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After looking at the top of the blade you can see a v design ,I take its where the blade has been joined to the steel in the handle ?
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#25 | |
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Location: Austria
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#26 |
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Location: Czech Republic
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You are absolutely right, it is ivory. The picture of the top of the pommel is typical and fully convincing. Nevertheless the drowing of small steady wavelets abeam of the handle has also been occuring on wrought hippo tusks and is coused by regularly scalloped surface of the tooth
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