ROYAL OMANI KHANJAR - is it authentic?
 

I purchased this Khanjar in the Souq of Maskat/Oman 21 years ago (1995). I very much like it because it is such an elegant and well crafted artwork. It is one of my favorite daggers, although I do not collect egded weapons from the Arabian Peninsula. That said, I have to admit that I know very Little about Khanjars. I read a lot in this Forum about well made fakes and Khanjars purely made for tourist needs. So, I kindly ask the real experts in this Forum about their opinoin.

Some details first: the Khanjar is pretty light, it is 800 grams only. It measures 33 cm from the top of the handle down to the lowest ring on the bottom of the scabbard. It is 24 cm broad (from the chape to the right ring) and the dagger has an overall length of 31 cm. The visible part of the blade (from the tip to ferrule) measures 17 cm. The blade looks as if it has a rough surface, but when one sweeps over the surface with the fingers, the blade appears to be very soft and absolutely even. I made the "Sound Test" and the sound it makes when I test the tip really sounds like a "THUG" to me, no tiny ding or so. Also, the blade is razor sharp - it actually cuts paper.

The bi-knife does not belong to the Khanjar. When I purchased the Khanjar the original bi-knife was missing, so I asked for another one and the shop owner gave me that one. It is more or less a cheap kitchen knife with an inferior blade, but at least it fits into the back-holder of the original bi-knife.

I assume the Khanjar is pretty young because it shows little wear and the silverwork is very detailed - late 20th century? Please have a look at the pics and - if you wish - respond. Thank you, Harald.

Hello,

I don't know much about Khanjars myself but yours seems to be very well made.
Also 800 grams for a Khanjar doesn't seem that little. I have a Japane Katana that weights this much.
So my guess is that you have the real thing, but I would like to hear more knowledgeable oppinions. :shrug:

I know nearly next to nothing about this daggers but the silverwork is fantastic, wow! Welcome to the forum.

Detlef

For purposes of comparison, I offer this link to a jambiyya with royal Omani provenance; yours seems to be a newer, and even more ornate, example.

. . .

Sadly, the link didn't work. If you wish to go to the Oriental-Arms.com site and search for Saidi dagger Oman, it will appear. I seem to be unable to leave a link to the site at all, my apologies.

There are a lot under this name by Oriental Arms, here is one: http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=4499

AFAIK, Saidi was a general name for a societal stratum that traced their descent from Prophet Mohammed ( rightly or wrongly). As a rule, their were the richest jambias ( khanjar in Oman). This one also seems to me a newer example.

That's the one. I don't understand why my links kept failing. Thanks for your efforts.

Salaams~ HL NAVY BLUE...Please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14878 Just press on the link... There I cover the Royal Khanjar said to have been designed by one of Saiid The Greats wives who assumed her husband was bored with the ordinary Muscat Khanjar.

The style incorporates the seven rings but swings toward an Indian form of decoration in the hilt with lavish miri bota leaf designs, split palmette and floral and circular style and a turned down pommel. Although silvered almost 100 % the Royal Khanjar usually sports a Rhino inner hilt...These are fairly weighty weapons since the use of a lot of silver...mined in Oman and brought as ingots these days from China although in past years made from scrap silver jewellery and Maria Theresa Thalers.

I have sen a lot of this side/work dagger style which were simply silvered over (this type is Indian) The sought after working knife is the famous Rodgers make usually seen with a crown and horn hilt silvered over. These famous butter knives had excellent steel blades and used to cut rope, kill chickens and all the things needed in everyday life... leaving the big dagger for extreme situations and as a badge of office for the Omani gentleman.

Something a lot of people dont know is that it was the hilt that was redesigned...everything else was already in place on the origin of species (The Muscat Khanjar) ONLY the hilt got the special treatment. Thus you may find Royal Khanjars in two formats one with a 4 ring form (rare) and another with seven...in the same way the Muscat Khanjar had two ring types/numbers.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Ariel, this particular khanjar style and its naming can be confusing, but the name is not a reference to the Sayeds, but to the Sa'eedi royal family of Oman.

Sa'eedi = سعيدي with the letter ع (ah)

Sayed = سيد

I always thought of adding properly pronounced Arab names for items but I can be lazy :-)

Please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmad_bin_Said_al-Busaidi where it outlines the dynastic form of the name ...and the name of the Khanjar; Sometimes termed the al-Busaidi or Busaidi or Al Saidi. Occasionally seen is the Omani Battle sword with an al Busaidi hilt..Al Saidi is the name used on the website http://khanjar.om/Old.html

Albeit very intersting and educating, it seems to me that most comments here completely ignore the original question:

IS THE KHANJAR IN THE ORIGINAL POSTING AUTHENTIC?! :shrug:

I have no idea but my best guess is that it is, and a very nice example, but I am definitely not knowledgeable enough to make an educated statement.

Good point. But requires a conplicated answer. The general shape of the khanjar is that of tourist khanjars made to sell to tourists. But the quality is excellent, I would say its a good authentic item but not traditionally made when it comes to the overall shape.

old = no
indian = no
authentic = yes

As to originality ...This is of original shapes and forms *See Note below .. It should be remembered that the hilt only was designed by one of the wives of Saiid Bin Sultan...AKA Saiid the Great...Sheherazad was her name...Persian...

There are in fact three designs of Al Saidi Khanjar that have developed from the original form which in my estimate came into being in about 1830....based on the Muscat Khanjar Scabbard but with an Indian styled and decorated Hilt. It may have 4 or 7 rings.

Note * However, to be perfectly clear over the past 50/80 years the form has been fused or amalgamated ...See http://khanjar.om/Types.html and looking at Al Saiidi Khanjars there were 3 types ....The form most often seen today is a mixture of type 2 and type 3; Simple as that.

Thanks for the Feedback
 

Dear All,

thank you for your informative comments and opinions. I am going through a steep lurning curve by reading your feedback and studying all the detailed information and photos in the links of your posts. The more I see and read, the more I get adicted to Khanjars.

I have a number of threads on the subject at Forum Library...Search...
on the work knife see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15133
...for the very famous Rodgers. :shrug:

The text associated with this link establishes royal provenance:

Fine and Important Saidi Jambiya Dagger - Oman - 10828


A fine and very good quality Arab Jambiya dagger from Oman, in the royal style known as Saidi . This Dagger was presented by Qaboos Bin Said Sultan of Oman, to the British officer Col. David George Arthur Holt, in recognition of his service in the Oman Military forces. It has a 8 inches curved and dual edge blade with a pronounced central rib. The hilt is made of Rhino horn in the classical “I” shaped, decorated with many small silver filigree pieces. The scabbard is “L” shaped covered with fabric. The belt attachment is made of complicate arrangements of 7 silver rings and twisted silver wire. All scabbard and hilt fittings are silver chased in a typical design. This item comes with its original heavy silver buckles. Total length 13 inches. Very good condition. Documents related to the military service of Col. Holt are included.

Here is the picture. To make sense of the variation in design of Al Saidi Khanjars it is important to view the details at http://khanjar.om/Types.html where you will discover all kinds of links with other Oman Khanjar forms copied on these Royal Weapons. This Khanjar has a short belt in silver ~ two small oblong plates linked like a belt . The other belt section is leather usually with stitched silver decoration.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.