And another one

[kahnjar1]

From the same sale, this brass mounted dagger. Possible tourist type but nice just the same.
Any thoughts as to origins please.

[Battara]

Does look like a tourist form of shafra.

[ariel]

Shibriya, palestinian form.

[ward]

those pieces at the end of chain look like seal stamps. Are they?

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by ward

those pieces at the end of chain look like seal stamps. Are they?

Thanks Ward for the question. I have attached a further pic of the ends of these, and if they are what you suggest, can you please tell me what they were used for etc.

[ward]

yes that is exactly what they are. when writting a document you would seal the letter with a bit of seal wax and push these into the wax. that way you would know i the letter was opened. They were also used to prove who had written a document. These have been used since roman times at that time they were often also used to mark pottery. if you take some standard candle wax and try it on the raised section run a magic marker across and it should be able to be read. I see a date right away on one of them i beleive it is 1902 ad. I acually wear a early ring type of this kind all the time that is dated back into the 18th century.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by ward

those pieces at the end of chain look like seal stamps. Are they?

Would that suggest that this piece might have belonged to a merchant or an official, rather than being a mere tourist item? Also, that triangular pommel seems unusual, is it characteristic of Palestinian edged weapons?

[ward]

I do not think so I think the chain with the seal rings was laying around and got stuck on maybe not but they usually are not assosiated