Old or new ''fake'' yemeni jambiya-khanjar ?

francantolin · 4th June 2020, 08:59 PM

Hello,
I wanted to show you the dagger I just received,
looks like a yemeni khanjar,
total length 35cm

I liked the leather scabbard.
It was sold at a really low price so I bought it because it seemed not too recent and well made.
I knew the hilt was not made of horn but it is not wood and not just plastic-resin

Maybe made of bakelite or mixed stuff ? ( I read about that on the forum )

Do you think it's an old ''copy-imitation'' of a rhino hilted khanjar,

or can it be really recent

I tried to heat a little, it smells not like horn/hair not plastic
but a little like soap-incense.

Any comment ?

Thank you -Kind regards

francantolin · 4th June 2020, 09:00 PM

Sorry,
pictures are not in the right order...
some more

kahnjar1 · 4th June 2020, 09:45 PM

Good genuine Yemeni Jambiya IMHO. Not a recent made tourist piece.
Stu

David R · 4th June 2020, 10:55 PM

The hilt could be "Amberoid" .... https://www.britannica.com/science/amberoid-resin

I think you got a nice one.

Kubur · 5th June 2020, 12:07 AM

Hi
It's a nice jambiya from Aden.
It depends what you call old, if old is 1950ties, it's old.
I think it is hornoid or bakelite.

David R · 5th June 2020, 05:13 PM

"I tried to heat a little, it smells not like horn/hair not plastic
but a little like soap-incense."

Which is why I am thinking something resinous, like Amberoid.

francantolin · 5th June 2020, 05:15 PM

Hello,

Thank you all for your comments !

50's just begins to be old for humans, for a jambiya not sure

hopefully it's not too recent.

Interesting the ''amberoid'' I didn't know it

I wonder why they used to do this kind of hilt materials instead wood or marble-stone handle and why they mixed it with real silver filgree-mounts.

- Was it to sell it high priced as a rare rhino hilted piece to the few
( I think !?! ) present strangers ( for British ? with the Aden Protectorate... )

- Or for local people who liked the similarity with horn hilt but hadn't enough
money to buy one ? ( like skaï-imitation leather instead of real one )

4th June 2020, 08:59 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 877	Old or new ''fake'' yemeni jambiya-khanjar ? Hello, I wanted to show you the dagger I just received, looks like a yemeni khanjar, total length 35cm I liked the leather scabbard. It was sold at a really low price so I bought it because it seemed not too recent and well made. I knew the hilt was not made of horn but it is not wood and not just plastic-resin Maybe made of bakelite or mixed stuff ? ( I read about that on the forum ) Do you think it's an old ''copy-imitation'' of a rhino hilted khanjar, or can it be really recent I tried to heat a little, it smells not like horn/hair not plastic but a little like soap-incense. Any comment ? Thank you -Kind regards Attached Images

4th June 2020, 09:00 PM	#2
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 877	Sorry, pictures are not in the right order... some more Attached Images

4th June 2020, 09:45 PM	#3
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	Good genuine Yemeni Jambiya IMHO. Not a recent made tourist piece. Stu

4th June 2020, 10:55 PM	#4
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,079	The hilt could be "Amberoid" .... https://www.britannica.com/science/amberoid-resin I think you got a nice one.

5th June 2020, 12:07 AM	#5
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Hi It's a nice jambiya from Aden. It depends what you call old, if old is 1950ties, it's old. I think it is hornoid or bakelite.

5th June 2020, 05:13 PM	#6
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,079	"I tried to heat a little, it smells not like horn/hair not plastic but a little like soap-incense." Which is why I am thinking something resinous, like Amberoid.

5th June 2020, 05:15 PM	#7
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 877	Hello, Thank you all for your comments ! 50's just begins to be old for humans, for a jambiya not sure hopefully it's not too recent. Interesting the ''amberoid'' I didn't know it I wonder why they used to do this kind of hilt materials instead wood or marble-stone handle and why they mixed it with real silver filgree-mounts. - Was it to sell it high priced as a rare rhino hilted piece to the few ( I think !?! ) present strangers ( for British ? with the Aden Protectorate... ) - Or for local people who liked the similarity with horn hilt but hadn't enough money to buy one ? ( like skaï-imitation leather instead of real one )