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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 54
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hello forumites
I recently purchased an old knife. The seller defined it being 'an african ritual knife'. I am puzzled by the origin. The knife does not look African at all, but I don't have a clue of its provenance. The knife sports a semi integral blade. Point is double edged. Handle seems to consist of horn with a metal overlay. It is embellished with a series of red dots (coral or stone?). The rear end of the handle is covered by a coin. Blade is 15 cm long, handle measures 10 cm and has a round cross section. The back of the blade is 5 mm near the handle and tapers slowly towards the tip. My rough guess is SE Asia, but all input about its origin and age is welcome. Thx for your help. Tim |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
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A sharper image of the butt of the knife may help to ID the coin.
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 54
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the problem is not in the picture, but in the coin itself. It's a blurry coin...
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#4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
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Well a larger photo would help me at least, from what I can see now it looks potentially like Arabic script and I am already beginning to wonder if the coin is Ottoman.
Coral is a material they were fond of. However I have to say weapons from this sphere of influence are not an area where I have much experience. ![]() |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
Posts: 4,408
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It looks like a Musandam shehi knife and decorated in coral (Morgan). I only have a modern derivative to hand but it illustrates my point. Cannot read the coin but could be a copy of a venetian ducat obliterated by a big old iron spiggot in its centre.
![]() Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 19th January 2012 at 03:25 PM. Reason: Text corrections. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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IMHO, it is a North African Khodmi.
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#7 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
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Could be a reworked European vendetta knife?
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 54
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I don't think it's a Khodmi. I have 2 of them. Workmanship and blade geometry is completely different.
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: switzerland
Posts: 298
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hello together
For me, the blade is Corsican, only the handle does not fit. Chregu |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
Posts: 4,408
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Salaams ~ Check out "Shafra" by Lew and "are these Shafras" by Archer on our own research and see #4 by Lew shows where the back edge of the blade near the hilt is patterned... I feel certain that this points to Shafra or perhaps Shehe (Musandam Omani) design. the coin appears to be Arabic... though we aren't sure ... perhaps a better picture or a clean up on that would be useful... Morgan (coral) is a common decorative on Omani and Yemeni work.
![]() Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. |
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