Mysterious knife number 2

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

The stones are agate...The inscription(which is upside down) makes no sense.... Istlag benzert.

Ibrahim, thank you very much.

The inscription makes sens to me:
Bizerte or Banzart (بنزرت) is a town on Tunisian North coast.
Famous for his pirates after 1574, also famous for his red coral.

By the way, the stones on the hilt are red coral (common with these Tunisian daggers).

Best,
Kubur

[BANDOOK]

KUBUR HANDSOME LOOKING DAGGERS,GOOD FIND,CHEERS

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Ibrahim, thank you very much.

The inscription makes sens to me:
Bizerte or Banzart (بنزرت) is a town on Tunisian North coast.
Famous for his pirates after 1574, also famous for his red coral.

By the way, the stones on the hilt are red coral (common with these Tunisian daggers).

Best,
Kubur

Salaams Kubur ... That is amazing. I'm so pleased you were able to nail down the name Bizerte. ... (Oops not agate ..but coral).... . Great thread...

In brief the Pirates story is very interesting and from lexicorient.com I note Quote" History
1st millennium BCE: Founded by the Phoenicians from Tyre as a trade and military outpost, and named Hippo Diarrythus. The Phonicians would dig a canal from Lake Bizerte.
310: Captured by Agathocles of Syracuse.
2nd century: Becomes a Roman colony following the fall of Carthage.
661 CE: Conquered by the Arab Muslims, and named Bizerte.
9th century: Bizerte is rebuilt by the command of the Aghlabids.
1535: Occupied by the Spanish.
1572: Pirates take control over Bizerte, and turn it into one of their strongholds.
1610: Youssef Dey takes control of Bizerte, and piracy continues.
1881: Together with most of Tunisia, comes Bizerte under French control, and becomes an important military centre, controlling both the northern and eastern coast of Tunisia.
1895: The French complete a new canal between Lake Bizerte and the sea. This turns the area into an ideal naval port and arsenal, with Sidi Abdallah (later Menzel Bourguiba) as the military centre". Unquote.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Ibrahim, thank you very much.

The inscription makes sens to me:
Bizerte or Banzart (بنزرت) is a town on Tunisian North coast.
Famous for his pirates after 1574, also famous for his red coral.

By the way, the stones on the hilt are red coral (common with these Tunisian daggers).

Best,
Kubur

Hi Kubur

I have followed this thread with bated breath it was like a detective novel, absolutely brilliant how the pieces of information from the others came together just proves how useful this forum is.
Well done everyone
Miguel

[messia]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Hi Kubur

I have followed this thread with bated breath it was like a detective novel, absolutely brilliant how the pieces of information from the others came together just proves how useful this forum is.
Well done everyone
Miguel

Thank you. I saw this post. but did not understand how to properly call this dagger?

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by messia

Thank you. I saw this post. but did not understand how to properly call this dagger?

It's not a koummiya, it's not a jambiya.
Try khanjer or khanjar, just if you want a name...

[Kubur]

Hi guys

Just wanted to share with you this lovely Tunisian dagger.
For the "name game" I would say Tunisian sbula ou sboula.
As it was said previously the link with Spanish blades is obvious.
I don't know if I'm crazy but the guard look a bit like the nimcha...

[francantolin]

Hello Kubur ( and all !)

I got this tunisian Bizerte genoui dagger,
I think it's exactly the same as your last pictures !!
Was it your own dagger ?
( it traveled a little ...)

Late 19th century ?
Was this kind of dagger a ceremonial model or more a tourist made item ?
Really well made, and interesting to see the mixed mediterranean influences especially the spanish-hole blade ( was it made for poison it ?
just a deco... )

Regards

[mariusgmioc]

The daggers in the original posting are North African.

Algerian to be more precise (however, an exact distinction between the place of manufacture is close to impossible since Algeria, Tunisia, parts of Morocco and Libya share pretty much the same cultural background, like say the Indo-Persian/Mughal space and time).

I would say touristy... (when I say "touristy," I don't necessarilly mean for foreign tourists but more for display, decorative purpose and not as a traditional weapon).

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Hello Kubur ( and all !)

I got this tunisian Bizerte genoui dagger,
I think it's exactly the same as your last pictures !!
Was it your own dagger ?
( it traveled a little ...)

Late 19th century ?
Was this kind of dagger a ceremonial model or more a tourist made item ?
Really well made, and interesting to see the mixed mediterranean influences especially the spanish-hole blade ( was it made for poison it ?
just a deco... )

Regards

Touristy!

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Hello Kubur ( and all !)

I got this tunisian Bizerte genoui dagger,
I think it's exactly the same as your last pictures !!
Was it your own dagger ?
( it traveled a little ...)

Late 19th century ?
Was this kind of dagger a ceremonial model or more a tourist made item ?
Really well made, and interesting to see the mixed mediterranean influences especially the spanish-hole blade ( was it made for poison it ?
just a deco... )

Regards

Ciao Francatolin,
Yes it looks pretty much the same

Yes it's Tunisian, may be not from Bizerte, maybe from Tunis.
Your dagger is mid 19th c. I will post tonight another one from early 19thc. (translation for Marath late 18th c.)
Neither ceremonial nor tourist, it's a proper functionnal and old dagger with very sharp and pointed blade.
Yes it has been influenced by Spanish Albacete knives.
For Marius, I will post later a late Tunisian dagger, around 1900.

Kubur