Koummiya for comments

[Battara]

Zukran and Merci Beaucoup!

[CharlesS]

I think the older koummyas are among the most elegant daggers in the Islamic world even if most often for dress.

Some terrific examples shown here, including some older koummya blades.

Nice thread to an underappreciated Islamic dagger form!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here is an example from The Met considered to be 18th/19thC. It certainly has some wear at the hilt and the holes are clearly worn.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This Koummya is :20th Century Morocco - Ait Ouaouzghit region, Southwest Atlas. Very little wear is apparent though I agree it looks old..

[motan]

Hello,
Thanks Jim and Ibrahiim for posting some top quality examples.
It seems that this thread is at its end and therefore, I thank everybody who paticipated and summarize what I have learned from and because of it.
- Koummyas originated around the early 19th century. There are several "classical", more or less well defined types described in the literature
- There are also mixed styles and later developments that makes the identification more difficult, like the one in the last picture, which is a mix of the "Queue de Paon" and Chapeau de Gendarme" types. The are also lower quality, but authentic "village" types and "modern" production pieces with both original and fantasy motives
- The better Koummyas demonstrate Morocco's fine and characteristic tradition of silver decoration and crafts in general
- The more I read what you wrote and the more Koummyas I looked up because of this thread, the more I valued the one I have and therefore I decided to keep it. Eytan

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by motan

Hello,
Thanks Jim and Ibrahiim for posting some top quality examples.
It seems that this thread is at its end and therefore, I thank everybody who paticipated and summarize what I have learned from and because of it.
- Koummyas originated around the early 19th century. There are several "classical", more or less well defined types described in the literature
- There are also mixed styles and later developments that makes the identification more difficult, like the one in the last picture, which is a mix of the "Queue de Paon" and Chapeau de Gendarme" types. The are also lower quality, but authentic "village" types and "modern" production pieces with both original and fantasy motives
- The better Koummyas demonstrate Morocco's fine and characteristic tradition of silver decoration and crafts in general
- The more I read what you wrote and the more Koummyas I looked up because of this thread, the more I valued the one I have and therefore I decided to keep it. Eytan

I am never sure threads actually ever end per se since Library stores these details so that somewhere in the future some bright student of Ethnographic Arms n' Armour will follow up and solve some of the mysteries we have outlined... From my point of view this is all a learning curve for which the excellent pictures and details you have provided will inspire someone later...

I think the last picture I posted is as you note Queue de Paon with the typical peacock tail pommel but not quite the Gendarmes Chapeau...Nice to hear you are keeping your Khoummya !

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[motan]

Hi Ibrahiim, of course you are right. Sometimes people write posts to threads that have been dormant for months.
The reason I brought in the Chapeau de Gendarme in connection to the dagger you posted is that the pyramid-like studs on the scabbard are originally an element from that type.