A big butcher knife
 

Hello this is arrived today and is still uncleaned, but i'm very inpatient to show you. On a book that ia have (Coltelli e pugnali. Zdenek Faktor) is attribuited to the Pathan of Afghanistan, but i know that this kind of swords are Khyber. Could someone illuminate me ? :) Total lenght 70 cm. Thank you

Flavio,

"Khyber" is what collectors call these weapons, it derives from the area the British encountered them, i.e. the Khyber Pass.
The majority clan of E. Afghanistan, at least during the Afghan Wars of the 19th century, was Pathan. Anthropologically speaking, they are distinguished by their language, Pashto, and are generally Sunni Muslims.

I have never known any Afghan who called these weapons Khyber knives, though there is a vast span of opinion regarding what the proper term actually is. Generally knowledgeable individuals there usually call it a "Salawar" after the region where it originated, was most commonly made, or perhaps was most used. I suspect this term is the oldest for it as Egerton refers to it as a "Salawar yatagan" in his mid-19th century research as well.

Ham

Thank you Ham, for the exhaustive explanation :) What do you think about age?

Flavio

That is a nice one did it come with a scabbard? I would place it's age as late 19th century.


Lew

No, Lew there is no scabbard. Thank you

I agree with Lew, late 19th.

It didn't exhaust me, I hope it didn't exhaust you?!

Ham

Sorry Ham, of course i mean exhaustive :o :o :o Thank you

Flavio, non importa- scherzando solamente. Mi piace giocare colle parole come Eco

Ham

Ham SenSei,

Non sapevo che lei se la cavava anche coll'Italiano. Ossequi. :)

RAGAZZI SIETE TROPPO FORTI!!!! :eek: CORDIALI SALUTI DALL'ITALIA :)

Hi Flavio
is the grip made of wood or horn ?
fernando

Hello Fernando, grip is made of horn.
Flavio

A weee, Paesa',,, ;)

Flavio, devo dire che hai una collezione proprio da urlo :eek: Mi piace tanto come la tieni... Colgo l'occasione per chiederti come fai ad avere un arsenale del genere in appartamento con le leggi che corrono in Italia? Non molto tempo fa una nonnia di 90 anni fu arestata a trieste per posesso di due baionette che suo marito ha portato dal frone... beh roba da matti :rolleyes:

Comunque, stammi bene!

Ciao Valjhun, hai un messaggio privato :)

English, please gentlemen.

Sorry :o

Nessun problema, Flavio. ;)
[No problem]

:D :D :D

And now is clean!! :cool:

A very nice example.

n2s

Getting back to the 'Khyber knife' .....
Ham,
Outstanding concise data on these interesting weapons, not at all exhausting!!:) just precisely described.
I am extremely interested in the distinct lazy s type motif in lines near the top of the blade.....it seems I have seen this motif as far to the east as Laos and on some types of dha. Similar markings occur in a number of diverse regions on swords, and typically in this type of linear motif, although cannot recall ever seeing it on the 'Khybers'.
Any idea of possible meanings, associations etc. ?
All the best,
Jim