camel-dagger

corrado26 · 21st March 2016, 05:38 PM

I'd like to know opinions of better informed collectors about the dagger in the fotos. I think the grip is made from camel bone and there is no sheeth.
Thanks a lot in advance
corrado26

corrado26 · 21st March 2016, 05:39 PM

some more fotos

Roland_M · 22nd March 2016, 04:49 PM

I am unsure but if the pattern I highlighted in the Picture is formed by Schreger-lines, this hilt was made from elephant ivory.

btw, a beautiful dagger, congratulations! I like the shape of the blade.

Roland

broadaxe · 22nd March 2016, 08:51 PM

I think too the hilt is elephant ivory, but it appears to be an old, repaired hilt, mounted on a contemporary Indian blade. Check the filled holes and the resin.
The thread should be moved to the Ethno forum.

fernando · 22nd March 2016, 09:12 PM

Indeed.

Miguel · 22nd March 2016, 10:48 PM

I am not sure of the handle material but I I think you have a lovely knife Corrado. I have not seen one with a pommel in the shape of a camel`s head before, most unusual thanks for sharing. The blade looks like a form of Indian Khanjar but I cannot tell if it is double edged.

I am not sure what forum Broadaxe and Fernando are referring to, I thought we were already in the Ethnographic Arms Forum

Miguel

Helleri · 31st March 2016, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roland_M

I am unsure but if the pattern I highlighted in the Picture is formed by Schreger-lines, this hilt was made from elephant ivory.

btw, a beautiful dagger, congratulations! I like the shape of the blade.

Roland

There is a possibility that it is Mammoth...Schreger lines tells us that it is from this group of animals. But the only way to be certain about whether it is from an extant or extinct animal is to look at the included degree angle of the cross hatching that the schreger lines form. Greater than 115° and it's Elephant. Lesser then 90° and it's Mammoth. But this test is only 100% accurate if the ivory is a clean cross section from the outer most layer of tusk. Generally speaking Elephant cross hatching is more cube shaped, and Mammoth cross hatching is more diamond shaped.

I would agree that taken with the look of that cross hatching, the color, the sheen, the way it cleaves where it has cracked...It looks like Elephant ivory. But the very small chance that it could be Mammoth ivory (as it is also exported worldwide and has been for some time) still remains. Just something to keep in mind with it.

corrado26 · 2nd April 2016, 06:08 PM

Finally I got the camel dagger for my collection and made some fotos. After having examined the grip and the explanations by Helleri in mind I'm nearly sure that is elephant ivory. The total length of the dagger is 291mm, the blade is 191mm and is wide 22mm.

corrado26

mariusgmioc · 2nd April 2016, 08:47 PM

In my opinion, the hilt is almost certainly very old elephant ivory but I am not very sure about the blade. I believe the blade is not new but much more recent than the hilt (my guess for the blade would be 20 century).

But this is just my opinion.

21st March 2016, 05:38 PM	#1
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,207	camel-dagger I'd like to know opinions of better informed collectors about the dagger in the fotos. I think the grip is made from camel bone and there is no sheeth. Thanks a lot in advance corrado26 Attached Images

21st March 2016, 05:39 PM	#2
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,207	some more fotos Attached Images

22nd March 2016, 04:49 PM	#3
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	I am unsure but if the pattern I highlighted in the Picture is formed by Schreger-lines, this hilt was made from elephant ivory. btw, a beautiful dagger, congratulations! I like the shape of the blade. Roland Attached Images

22nd March 2016, 10:48 PM	#6
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	Camel head Pommel Dagger I am not sure of the handle material but I I think you have a lovely knife Corrado. I have not seen one with a pommel in the shape of a camel`s head before, most unusual thanks for sharing. The blade looks like a form of Indian Khanjar but I cannot tell if it is double edged. I am not sure what forum Broadaxe and Fernando are referring to, I thought we were already in the Ethnographic Arms Forum Miguel

2nd April 2016, 06:08 PM	#8
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,207	Finally I got the camel dagger for my collection and made some fotos. After having examined the grip and the explanations by Helleri in mind I'm nearly sure that is elephant ivory. The total length of the dagger is 291mm, the blade is 191mm and is wide 22mm. corrado26 Attached Images

22nd March 2016, 08:51 PM	#4
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 332	I think too the hilt is elephant ivory, but it appears to be an old, repaired hilt, mounted on a contemporary Indian blade. Check the filled holes and the resin. The thread should be moved to the Ethno forum.

22nd March 2016, 09:12 PM	#5
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Indeed.

2nd April 2016, 08:47 PM	#9
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	In my opinion, the hilt is almost certainly very old elephant ivory but I am not very sure about the blade. I believe the blade is not new but much more recent than the hilt (my guess for the blade would be 20 century). But this is just my opinion.