Simple yet beautiful blade; bone (ivory?) hilt; origin unknown

[shayde78]

I recently jumped at the chance to add this lovely little knife. The blade is elegant in its simplicity - 1/4inch spine at the hilt, smooth distal taper, no bevels but a steady wedge ending in a keen edge.

The scabbard with its wire wrapping seems possibly African, but I've yet to see an African blade forged so well. I thought I detected some 'wootziness' in the seller's photos, but not in person. I would place the blade as Persian, perhaps, but without any typical adornments.

This is just a solid blade similar to what I would want as a part of my bushcraft kit. The hilt, is simple, but more elaborate than the blade. I'm very curious to get opinions as to where this may have originated.

Thanks everyone!

[Sajen]

I've watched it by ebay, I am nearly sure that it's a dha dagger and I guess that the handle is from ivory. Very nice piece, congrats!

Regards,
Detlef

[shayde78]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I've watched it by ebay, I am nearly sure that it's a dha dagger and I guess that the handle is from ivory. Very nice piece, congrats!

Regards,
Detlef

Thanks, Detlef!
I was surprised I was able to win it. You are absolutely right- it has a distinctly 'dha-esque' look to the scabbard, and the rest feels consistent with a Thai/Southeast Asian origin.
Any thoughts on the type of ivory? Elephant? Marine?


Thanks again!

[Rafngard]

Originally Posted by shayde78

Any thoughts on the type of ivory? Elephant? Marine?

I think I can see schreger lines in the 6th picture, so I'd vote Elephant.

Have fun,
Leif

[Helleri]

Originally Posted by Rafngard

I think I can see schreger lines in the 6th picture, so I'd vote Elephant.

Have fun,
Leif

On the smooth part of the butt in the 6th picture those definitely look like Schreger lines. Given that's over a very curved surface I wouldn't want to wager a guess at the angle of them from a picture. The only way to tell what species (from such a small piece) would be to measure the angle of their intersections.

But that's not 100% Because the arc of the lines will change the intersection. Arc decreases with size the further out from the core one gets. Not by much. But enough that outer material from the very tip of a small Elephant tusk can look like outer material from the very base of a large walrus tusk.

One can get to about 70% confidence level with angle measuring of Schreger lines. Higher confidence beyond that relies on knowing where and when it came from and what the people that made it would have had likely access to material wise.

[Sajen]

By dhas I never have seen other ivory than elephant ivory.