Anatomy of a Jambiya The Old vs The New and How to Tell Them Apart

[Lew]

Hi All

Lately I been asked by a few people about how you tell the difference between older jambiya and ones made after the middle 20th century. I will attempt to explain the differences. The things you need to pay attention to right off the bat is the blade. Newer blades made after the oil boom of the 1970s often exhibit a central rib that looks squared off and pressed rather than rounded and forged to shape also the tip on the older blades some of them were imported from India seem to have the rib terminate just behind the point with the last 1/4 inch having a radiused tip that reinforces the tip during penetration. The next thing to look out for is the quality of the hilt most newer hilts have sheet brass coin like discs rather than real old coins or nail work and the band just below the blade is often of poor quality. You also must pay attention to the scabbard quality a general style which change from era to era below the top scabbard is recent the two below that one are 19th century and the small one is circa 1940-50. Below are some examples of Yemen jambiya all but one are late 19th century pieces. The example with the brass discs is 1970-90 vintage you can see the difference in quality the older versions have a mosiac of silver studs which were very labor intense to apply. I will be posting other examples from different regions in the Middle east in the future.


Lew

[Jim McDougall]

really interesting! always wondered how to tell so this is great info.

[olikara]

Lew,

Thanks for the great education.

Nidhin

[kahnjar1]

Hi Lew,
Thanks for the very informative pointers on the Yemeni Jambiya. My collection of Arabian Peninsula blades lacks examples from the Yemen for the very reason you mention---lack of knowledge in identification of fakes from the area. I have even seen blades made in 2 halves and spot welded together!! Ebay has many "genuine" Yemeni items listed but after having been bitten once, I have steered away from buying there, choosing to wait until I can see examples "in the flesh", or obtain from a reputable dealer or collector.
I look forward to further installments on Arabian blades.
Regards Stuart

[Chris Evans]

Lew,

A big thanks for a very educative post. Keep up the good work.

Cheers
Chris

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Lew, just what collectors need, comparrisions and further information on the subject

regards

Gav

[katana]

Great info Lew

Just wished you had posted this awhile ago....then I wouldn't have wasted money and got excited (unnecessarily) on a Yemeni Jambiya (eBay purchase) that looked to be 19th C (in the pics) and turned out to be a neglected tourist piece

David

[Gonzalo G]

Very nice thread, thank you for sharing this information and photos.
Regards

Gonzalo

[Lew]

Hear is an Omani jambiya that sold today on ebay and it seems highly suspect to me. The embossing seems to be stamped out the blade for some reason was etched to give it a wootz effect but I can see no pattern and there is no central rib in the blade. The leather is newer looking without any wear. I would place this piece around 1970-80. The jambiya at the bottom also just finished on ebay and to me this one is a true older piece late 19th century. Notice the older style blade good quality silver work and good wear as if it had been carried a long time by it's original owner.

http://cgi.ebay.com/19th-early-20th-...d=p3286.c0.m14

Lew

[Battara]

Lew, I agree with you 200% That other newer one - BLEHHH!

[josh stout]

It is amazing to me how many people seem to be searching for new antiques. When an antique looks old, many people are not interested. My guess is that the new example shown in the last few pictures was not too diferent in price from the one with obvious age.
Josh

[TVV]

Lew,
Thank you for this well written and informative post!
Teodor

[katana]

The blade on the more recent Omani is very strange. There does seem to a central rib....all be it very 'unpronounced', the blade edges are rounded The 'wootz' pattern is very indistinct but is very fine, faked acid etched wootz is (AFAIK) much coarser and its surface 'ridged' The blade's mat grey apearance certainly suggests its been 'etched'...perhaps too agressively with a more consentrated acid ?
If this blade is definately not wootz ....has someone deliberately or accidently create the 'look' of 'the possibility of wootz'

In general I was informed that mid to late 20th C Jambiya's had sheet metal blades ie two halves welded/braised together. Is this the case for the mass majority manufactured at that time. As this blade looks 'solid'.

Regards David

[Lew]

Dave

Not all mid 20th century blades were made of two halfs welded together. This blade has a shallow diamond shaped grind to it and not a raised forged rib as seen in the other example. So this blade was probably made via stock removal. As far as I know Arabian,Yemen and Omani jambiya were never etched they always show a high degree of polish. This blade looks as if it was purposely etched or over etched to give the blade either a wootz look or at the least an older look. This seller often comes up with blades that have been recently etched just to show off a particular pattern even if it's shear steel so he can say it's damascus. It's like using the Zulu term on any African piece it seems to stir up higher prices people here the word wootz and they start to flip out. It's like Sy Syms always said "An educated consumer is our best bet"


Lew

[katana]

Thanks Lew,
for clarifying the situation. I can see now, that stock removal is most likely. I have seen some shear steel blades that when etched gives an 'indication' that its wootz.

I also have to admit....that I 'flip out' ....if I believe any of my new aquisitions are wootz Sadly, they never have been ....but maybe...just maybe.. the next one will be The trouble is..being near the bottom of the 'collecting food chain', I have to rely on good pieces being 'missed'....the proverbial 'sleeper'.....an increasingly 'rare' occurance....still...I live in hope

Regards David

[Lew]

David

Good things will come just be patient


Lew