Rhino Khanjar for comments

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

I think we will give Buttin the benefit of the doubt in this case!

Salam Ibrahiim
all these consignments were made ​​there ± 110 years ago,
it's easy to imagine, that "Buttin" hadn't our communication facilities to corroborate his informations,
not like us actually with the "net"

"Buttin" has mentioned often, that some Islamic weapons are rare, (what it's not any more the case in our days ...)
but, travelers to Islamic countries of Middle-East, in this century was very few,
and some countries was more or less closed to Western peoples, or at least for non-Muslims
that might explain a little, imprecisions or perhaps even errors on some of his notes
I am well aware of that, but that don't challenge the value bibliographic of the book, in general

I will not allow me (I don't have the quality) to comment the written notes of "Buttin",
even if I found at my point of view sometimes strange interpretations
I strive to meet in my translation, to the mind, against the form of text,
no more

what I find most interesting in this book, is not so much the comments of "Buttin",
but physically, how they was looking like, these islamic edged weapons found about 150 years ago
this to me (us) can attempt to determine the oldest weapons forms, to the most recent,
however ... if possible

all the best my Friend

à +

Dom

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Dom

Salam Ibrahiim
all these consignments were made ​​there ± 110 years ago,
it's easy to imagine, that "Buttin" hadn't our communication facilities to corroborate his informations,
not like us actually with the "net"

"Buttin" has mentioned often, that some Islamic weapons are rare, (what it's not any more the case in our days ...)
but, travelers to Islamic countries of Middle-East, in this century was very few,
and some countries was more or less closed to Western peoples, or at least for non-Muslims
that might explain a little, imprecisions or perhaps even errors on some of his notes
I am well aware of that, but that don't challenge the value bibliographic of the book, in general

I will not allow me (I don't have the quality) to comment the written notes of "Buttin",
even if I found at my point of view sometimes strange interpretations
I strive to meet in my translation, to the mind, against the form of text,
no more

what I find most interesting in this book, is not so much the comments of "Buttin",
but physically, how they was looking like, these islamic edged weapons found about 150 years ago
this to me (us) can attempt to determine the oldest weapons forms, to the most recent,
however ... if possible

all the best my Friend

à +

Dom

Salaams Dom~ You are correct indeed about the difficulties of research on these weapons at that time. Actually getting to visit some of the countries over 100 years ago would have been at best dangerous and even in the 1940s and 1950s travel into the Interior of Oman was extremely dodgey... according to Thesiger. The lack of information combined with the state of the Oman which was in decline until 1970 must have made study of this sort almost impossible. I find it quite difficult even now! What must it have been like then?
It is very convenient to be able to present an item for discussion to Forum and instantly reach many hundreds of enthusiastic specialists and scholars such as yourself who are willing to give up their time to promote our chosen field.
I had hoped that Buttins work would have passed copyright by now as has Burtons work which is freely available on the web but I see that Buttin has been rewritten under his grandson quite recently...It goes on my vast list of books I must have !
One thing is certain that what Khanjars looked like 100 years ago here in Oman .... for sure thats what they looked like 500 years ago and earlier.
Thank you Dom...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Dom]

981 - DAGGER OF ARAB MUSCAT (Djambyia) eighteenth century (Pl. XXX)
Blade always the same type as the previous, but with a curious feature.
It is sharpen with a hammer as well as scythe blades, hammered the convex edge toward the outer side and concave toward on the interior side.
Hilt of the richest model, entirely in silver and decorated with applied of filigrees very fine and very elegant. The pommel has a particular form with two conical ears on the side, turned in towards the handle.
The hilt, same "encapage" for the scabbard upper part, as well as two previous weapons. (Cf. "encapage" old French word, completely obsolete, want to mean, in reference to the two previous descriptions,
"silver ferrule that covers the lowest part of the flourishing of the handle and which engages the sheath: the collar is also decorated with filigree"
The scabbard covered by red leather sheath on the interior side, is, on the outer side, fully in silver gilt covered with silver filigrees as the handle.
The chape and the locket, draw for one a square, and the other a trapezoid, with filigree designs going in diminishing. The middle of the scabbard shows a drawing of scales repelled.
Seven silver rings wrought used to attach the weapon to the belt are ligatured with silver cords.

Weapon in excellent condition and extremely rare
Long: 0.32 - Blade: 0.200
See Moser catalog, No. 544, pl. XXI

981 – POIGNARD ARABE DE MASCATE (Djambyia), XVIIIè siècle (Pl. XXX)
Lame toujours du même type que les précédentes, mais présentant une particularité curieuse. Elle est aiguisée au marteau comme les lames de faux, le tranchant convexe martelé du coté extérieur et le concave du coté intérieur.
Poignée du modèle le plus riche, entièrement en argent et décoré d’appliques de filigranes très fines et très élégantes. Le pommeau de forme particulière à deux oreilles coniques sur le coté, rabattues vers la poignée. À la garde, même encapage du haut du fourreau qu’aux deux armes précédentes.
Le fourreau en cuir rouge du coté intérieur, est, du coté extérieur, entièrement en argent doré revêtu de filigranes d’argent comme la poignée. La chape et la bouterolles dessinent l’une un carré, l’autre un trapèze, en filigrane à dessins décroissants. Le milieu du fourreau présente un dessin en écailles repoussées.
Sept anneaux en argent forgé pour fixer l’arme à la ceinture sont ligaturés avec des cordelettes en argent.
Arme en excellent état et de très grande rareté
Long : 0,32 - Lame : 0,200
Cf. catalogue Moser, N° 544, pl. XXI

************************************************** ***********

982 - ARAB DAGGER (Djambyia), eighteenth century or early nineteenth (Pl. XXX)

Wide blade Arabic forged: double edged, midrib softened, but very salient, over the entire length.
Straight heel, the blade is curved sharply to the middle, and tapers from there to provide the tip.
Horn handle, flourishing along the lines normal to the blade and form a pommel in axe head.
It is on its outer face coated with a silver plate decorated with three rosettes repelled.
Unlike previous ones, this is the low part of the ferrule of handle that enters in the chape of the scabbard.
The wooden scabbard covered with brown leather does not have the right angle bend, but also moreover much more curved than the previous ones, in a regular circle arc.
It has a chape engraved silver, filigreed, and nielloed on the outside face and three roses in silver repelled.
This scabbard is caught between two strips of leather combined with a cloth belt.
The outer strap is decorated with an engraved silver plate and silver thread in spiral ;

Weapon well complete and in fair condition;
Long: 0.290 Blade: 0.185


982 – POIGNARD ARABE (Djambyia), XVIIIè siècle ou début XIXè (Pl. XXX)

Lame très large de forge arabe : deux tranchants, arête centrale adoucie mais très saillante sur toute la longueur. Droite au talon, la lame se courbe brusquement vers le milieu, et se rétrécit depuis là pour fournir la pointe.
Poignée en corne s’épanouissant suivant les lignes habituelles vers la lame et formant un pommeau en forme de fer de hache. Elle est sur sa face extérieure revêtue d’une plaque d’argent décorée de trois rosaces repoussées. Contrairement aux précédents, c’est le bas de la virole de la poignée qui s’engage dans la chape du fourreau.
Le fourreau en bois recouvert de cuir marron n’a pas le coude à angle droit, mais se courbe plus encore d’ailleurs que les précédents, en un arc de cercle régulier.
Il porte une chape en argent gravé, filigrané, et niellé sur sa face extérieure et trois rosaces en argent repoussé.
Ce fourreau est pris entre deux lanières de cuir réunies à une ceinture d’étoffe.
La lanière extérieure est décorée d’une plaque en argent gravé et de fils d’argent en spirale.

Arme bien complète et en assez bon état ;
Long : 0,290 Lame : 0,185

************************************************** ***********

end of the commitment

à +

Dom

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Dom

981 - DAGGER OF ARAB MUSCAT (Djambyia) eighteenth century (Pl. XXX)
Blade always the same type as the previous, but with a curious feature.
It is sharpen with a hammer as well as scythe blades, hammered the convex edge toward the outer side and concave toward on the interior side.
Hilt of the richest model, entirely in silver and decorated with applied of filigrees very fine and very elegant. The pommel has a particular form with two conical ears on the side, turned in towards the handle.
The hilt, same "encapage" for the scabbard upper part, as well as two previous weapons. (Cf. "encapage" old French word, completely obsolete, want to mean, in reference to the two previous descriptions,
"silver ferrule that covers the lowest part of the flourishing of the handle and which engages the sheath: the collar is also decorated with filigree"
The scabbard covered by red leather sheath on the interior side, is, on the outer side, fully in silver gilt covered with silver filigrees as the handle.
The chape and the locket, draw for one a square, and the other a trapezoid, with filigree designs going in diminishing. The middle of the scabbard shows a drawing of scales repelled.
Seven silver rings wrought used to attach the weapon to the belt are ligatured with silver cords.

Weapon in excellent condition and extremely rare
Long: 0.32 - Blade: 0.200
See Moser catalog, No. 544, pl. XXI

981 – POIGNARD ARABE DE MASCATE (Djambyia), XVIIIè siècle (Pl. XXX)
Lame toujours du même type que les précédentes, mais présentant une particularité curieuse. Elle est aiguisée au marteau comme les lames de faux, le tranchant convexe martelé du coté extérieur et le concave du coté intérieur.
Poignée du modèle le plus riche, entièrement en argent et décoré d’appliques de filigranes très fines et très élégantes. Le pommeau de forme particulière à deux oreilles coniques sur le coté, rabattues vers la poignée. À la garde, même encapage du haut du fourreau qu’aux deux armes précédentes.
Le fourreau en cuir rouge du coté intérieur, est, du coté extérieur, entièrement en argent doré revêtu de filigranes d’argent comme la poignée. La chape et la bouterolles dessinent l’une un carré, l’autre un trapèze, en filigrane à dessins décroissants. Le milieu du fourreau présente un dessin en écailles repoussées.
Sept anneaux en argent forgé pour fixer l’arme à la ceinture sont ligaturés avec des cordelettes en argent.
Arme en excellent état et de très grande rareté
Long : 0,32 - Lame : 0,200
Cf. catalogue Moser, N° 544, pl. XXI

************************************************** ***********

982 - ARAB DAGGER (Djambyia), eighteenth century or early nineteenth (Pl. XXX)

Wide blade Arabic forged: double edged, midrib softened, but very salient, over the entire length.
Straight heel, the blade is curved sharply to the middle, and tapers from there to provide the tip.
Horn handle, flourishing along the lines normal to the blade and form a pommel in axe head.
It is on its outer face coated with a silver plate decorated with three rosettes repelled.
Unlike previous ones, this is the low part of the ferrule of handle that enters in the chape of the scabbard.
The wooden scabbard covered with brown leather does not have the right angle bend, but also moreover much more curved than the previous ones, in a regular circle arc.
It has a chape engraved silver, filigreed, and nielloed on the outside face and three roses in silver repelled.
This scabbard is caught between two strips of leather combined with a cloth belt.
The outer strap is decorated with an engraved silver plate and silver thread in spiral ;

Weapon well complete and in fair condition;
Long: 0.290 Blade: 0.185


982 – POIGNARD ARABE (Djambyia), XVIIIè siècle ou début XIXè (Pl. XXX)

Lame très large de forge arabe : deux tranchants, arête centrale adoucie mais très saillante sur toute la longueur. Droite au talon, la lame se courbe brusquement vers le milieu, et se rétrécit depuis là pour fournir la pointe.
Poignée en corne s’épanouissant suivant les lignes habituelles vers la lame et formant un pommeau en forme de fer de hache. Elle est sur sa face extérieure revêtue d’une plaque d’argent décorée de trois rosaces repoussées. Contrairement aux précédents, c’est le bas de la virole de la poignée qui s’engage dans la chape du fourreau.
Le fourreau en bois recouvert de cuir marron n’a pas le coude à angle droit, mais se courbe plus encore d’ailleurs que les précédents, en un arc de cercle régulier.
Il porte une chape en argent gravé, filigrané, et niellé sur sa face extérieure et trois rosaces en argent repoussé.
Ce fourreau est pris entre deux lanières de cuir réunies à une ceinture d’étoffe.
La lanière extérieure est décorée d’une plaque en argent gravé et de fils d’argent en spirale.

Arme bien complète et en assez bon état ;
Long : 0,290 Lame : 0,185

************************************************** ***********

end of the commitment

à +

Dom

Salaams Dom ~ First thank you for this great translation and for enhancing the Forum library with such an excellent document from Buttin.

I suspect that 981 is the Royal Khanjar which was designed for Said Bin Sultan in about 1840 thus mid 19th C but which is attributed by Buttin to the 18C. This is understandable since it depends upon the condition of the item which could easily mask the age. Certainly his description is for the Royal Omani Khanjar variant.

I think it is widely acknowledged that in those days it was extremely difficult to obtain examples which he describes as very rare. As an example it is worth viewing the see-saw political goings on between the French and British for 3 centuries leading up to the start of the 20th C. Neither them nor anyone else were able to gain a permanent base or political foothold in Muscat making it a virtually closed country for several centuries, locked from outside influence until about 1970. See "The French and British in the Indian Ocean by Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Qassimi".
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

I had hoped that Buttins work would have passed copyright by now as has Burtons work which is freely available on the web but I see that Buttin has been rewritten under his grandson quite recently...

Thanks Ibrahiim to care about our abilities to publish or not Buttins's work
in France, the Law is very clear,

- is reputed from public field, whatever it is and have been wrote or published since over 70 years started after the death of the writter

- Charles Buttin, died before that his book be published, in fact it's his son François, using all his father's notes,
who has published the "Catalogue de la collection d'armes anciennes européennes et orientales de Charles Buttin

- this catalogue has been printed and published in 1933 (Rumilly), that mean that in 2004, no measures of copyrighted

- the book with me, is one from the first impression, with a special dedication (not for me - dated 1956) from François Buttin his son

a priori, I see no impediment, at what I did
excepted that the book has a cost-prohibitive
and, to do a complete copy, will be not fair at all for those who bought it

all the best

à +

Dom