Quite a price for a Kattara

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Lee

Many valid points, Jim, as usual. I think it also boosts prices when such items are sold in an 'Art' sale as opposed to 'Arms & Armour.'

I have found and continue to find kattara blades to be very difficult to date with any confidence. I suspect that these swords, remaining 'in use,' could have been subjected to regular re-hiltings and re-embellishments.

I would have thought a few of those you picture, Michael, may be a bit older than 19th century. But I have seen so very few of these; I really do appreciate your sharing these examples.

Readers may also wish to follow the Sothebys' link and to navigate to the next two lots.

I followed the Sothebys item very closely... and I was also stunned to see the price. I must have handled half a dozen of these variants in my time . I had a good look at that one and discovered it was a wootz blade and had an inscription in the pommel which would have been the owner or the maker.No one has cracked this one yet. It just seems to have appeared sometime out of the blue! Similar relatives appear to be Persian perhaps from the Greek and or Roman short. For sure if it is as old as they now suspect... 10th century? then it is certain to be up the value scale. In terms of quantity left in Oman my estimate is their could be 10 left dotted around .. though I do know a collector with 24 ! and another with 18. I have to say the 2 that I have may not be wootz but I ve not cleaned the blades yet..
In my view they arent kattara since the blade is completely different with a predominant wing cross section and not flexible like the Omani Long Kattara. The hilt is totally different compared to the cylindrical Long. The technique for fighting is different altogether from the Long because the blade is short(a lot of the Shorts Ive seen are about 30 inch total length. Its a hacking weapon.. for up close work , like the Roman short...or like a 2 edged cutlass / short claymore.. and the shield therefor must also have been different to the Buckler(terrs) and must have been big... Heavy infantry as opposed to light speedy nip in slash and snick which is the technique for the Omani Kattara ... Therefor if the weapon is structured differently and used very differently its not a Kattara. I would suggest that this short variant came in early from Persia and was the weapon of choice for fortress or strong point guards up until the Omani conquest of Zanzibar (1652) which then became a conduit for African swords into Arabia. Thereafter I can envisage a tried and tested sword living on as a fortress weapon in Oman well into the 19th century..and other infantry employing the newer Kattara.
The question as to how the Kattara evolved is also interesting... Did it evolve from the Omani Short? Or did it evolve from the influence of African weapons ? Or Both ? OR~ Did it evolve entirely separately ?
May I just leave that as an open note and request forum input (so I dont bore everybody!)