What is this: a Kard or a Pesh Kabz?

Tatyana Dianova · 1st August 2007, 10:25 PM

I've got this knife at the antique shop in Leipzig, where it was labeled as "Tibetian knife"

Well, to me it lookes pretty Persian: the carved bone handle with typical men and women figures, the golden koftgari, also the steel after cleaning and etching appeared to be Wootz. But the form of this dagger really puzzles me: it is something between a Kard and a Pesh Kabz. Have anybody seen something like this before? How should I call it, maybe a Pesh Kard

?

ariel · 1st August 2007, 10:32 PM

It is a Pesh Kabz, and a gorgeous one!!!!

rand · 1st August 2007, 11:06 PM

Nice dagger!! Which shop was that? just kidding.... Like how the grip scales are larger than the tang, very correct mounting and could be original to it. The shape of the blade looks very Indian, the style of gold decoration looks Persian, the grip scales appear Mughal to me. Nice find!!!

Kards are usually straight and single edged blades, the Indian arms have so many variations, it sometimes seems endless....

Now, aren't you glad your a collector?

rand

ariel · 2nd August 2007, 02:31 AM

The carvings are Persian. Artzi and Avner Yarom have quite a lot of those. They were shown in the book by M. Khorasani "Arms and Armor from Iran" and their provenance was misattributed to Dr. David Darom.

CharlesS · 2nd August 2007, 04:19 AM

Absolutely gorgeous find...I am so jealous!!

Tatyana Dianova · 2nd August 2007, 12:17 PM

Thank you all for nice words!
I can tell you the address of the shop, but there was only one of these

, and I think there willn't be any other in the next 100 years..
Of course I looked for the similar examples in "Arms and Armour from Iran" and in Internet as well, but couldn't find the same. The blade seems to be Pesh Kabz type, the handle has a Kard form, and similar bone carvings I have seen only on Persian Jambiyas. But the whole mounting seems to be perfectly original to the blade. So this dagger appears to be a bit special.

tsubame1 · 3rd August 2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

and their provenance was misattributed to Dr. David Darom.

No misattribution at all.
Dar Darom was the photographer.

Battara · 3rd August 2007, 10:45 PM

Yes one of the best Persian examples I have seen! Congratulations!

1st August 2007, 10:25 PM	#1
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	What is this: a Kard or a Pesh Kabz? I've got this knife at the antique shop in Leipzig, where it was labeled as "Tibetian knife" Well, to me it lookes pretty Persian: the carved bone handle with typical men and women figures, the golden koftgari, also the steel after cleaning and etching appeared to be Wootz. But the form of this dagger really puzzles me: it is something between a Kard and a Pesh Kabz. Have anybody seen something like this before? How should I call it, maybe a Pesh Kard ? Attached Images

1st August 2007, 11:06 PM	#3
rand Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 538	Nice Dagger Nice dagger!! Which shop was that? just kidding.... Like how the grip scales are larger than the tang, very correct mounting and could be original to it. The shape of the blade looks very Indian, the style of gold decoration looks Persian, the grip scales appear Mughal to me. Nice find!!! Kards are usually straight and single edged blades, the Indian arms have so many variations, it sometimes seems endless.... Now, aren't you glad your a collector? rand Last edited by rand; 2nd August 2007 at 02:49 AM.

1st August 2007, 10:32 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	It is a Pesh Kabz, and a gorgeous one!!!!

2nd August 2007, 02:31 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The carvings are Persian. Artzi and Avner Yarom have quite a lot of those. They were shown in the book by M. Khorasani "Arms and Armor from Iran" and their provenance was misattributed to Dr. David Darom.

2nd August 2007, 04:19 AM	#5
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Absolutely gorgeous find...I am so jealous!!

2nd August 2007, 12:17 PM	#6
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Thank you all for nice words! I can tell you the address of the shop, but there was only one of these , and I think there willn't be any other in the next 100 years.. Of course I looked for the similar examples in "Arms and Armour from Iran" and in Internet as well, but couldn't find the same. The blade seems to be Pesh Kabz type, the handle has a Kard form, and similar bone carvings I have seen only on Persian Jambiyas. But the whole mounting seems to be perfectly original to the blade. So this dagger appears to be a bit special.

3rd August 2007, 10:45 PM	#8
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,221	Yes one of the best Persian examples I have seen! Congratulations!