Some Jambiyas

Lew · 12th December 2008, 08:26 PM

Hey this guy has one in his shop in Yemen

Knife-seller Abdullah al Azeri shows off a 300-year-old jambiya dagger that he says is worth more than $25,000. Azeri says his family has been in the knife business for more than 1,000 years.

kahnjar1 · 13th December 2008, 12:33 AM

Hi Lew,
We are probably getting away from Gavins original thread, but my personal comment to the age of that Jambiya in the pic is probably not printable. I have seen far too many Yemeni "genuine antique" daggers to believe the provenance without getting a VERY good look at the item. Old Jambiya in my experience NEVER have such a highly polished blade! As a rule I would NEVER buy ANY Yemeni item without being able to see it first. There are far too many fakes coming out of that area.
Regards Stuart

Gavin Nugent · 13th December 2008, 09:04 AM

Great discussion gents, one can leave very happy with the knowledge that has been shared here. The getting away from my original thread as you say Stu is of great benefit for myself and others who know little about this fasinating and some what mystical knife and it's clouded history.
As Jim has always pointed out, historical ethic boundries and the changing of these boundries are very important in the discussion of weaponry and it is the weapons of this cross over of boundries that we all find so fasinating.
Please continue..

regards

Gav

Lew · 15th December 2008, 03:11 PM

Gav

If you travel to Yemen you should read this first. I copied this from an article.

May 18, 2007
Beware of jambiya-snatchers
When in Yemen, leave your fancy dagger at home:

Abdul Wali Ali al-Robaiyee, 67, of Sana’a, owner of 30 very pricey jambiyas, describes one of the ways that thieves use to snatch a jambiya from an unsuspecting victim. First, the attacker tosses a cloud of spices into the eyes of the victim, temporarily blinding him. This gives the thief enough time to snatch the jambiya from its sheath and flee. This procedure is mostly done in the old city of Sana’a, because streets are narrow and winding, making escape easy, said al-Robaiyee.

“In the old city of Sana’a this happens more than any other place. The small streets and the numerous side roads can make the victim very distracted, so that he loses the thief quickly.” “Some even run into stores or even homes, making it easier for them to disappear. The victim would stay at least five minutes with his eyes blurry and burning, and in the end he lost a very costly jambiya.” The number of jambiya thefts has been greater this year than ever before, said Abdul-Salaam al-Shibami of the Sana’a police department in Bab al-Yemen.

“It started more than 10 years ago, but now it is increasing, and thieves are using different techniques. I advise older people who walk alone during the later part of the night not to wear their jambiyas for their own safety.”

Michael Blalock · 15th December 2008, 10:53 PM

Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older.

Michael Blalock · 15th December 2008, 11:37 PM

Here is a picture of the Sultan of Oman holding a kattara with the al bu said type of hilt and also a picture of the emir of Abu Dhabi, Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, wearing the UAE type khanjar and holding a kattara with a hilt of the usual type.

kahnjar1 · 16th December 2008, 06:29 AM

Still on the same track, here are some examples from my collection of Meccan and Omani Khanjars.
The first 2 pics are of Meccan Jambiyas and the last 2 of Omani Khanjars.
Clear difference in the hilt is evident.
Regards Stuart

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 24th June 2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Blalock

Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older.

Salaams Michael Blalock. It is a long time since you sent a post Michael and I hope all is well. I picked up your letter as I was thumbing back through Forum history and by chance I just happenend to be reading Heart Beguiling Araby by Kathryn Tidrick and was on page 14 showing Carsten Niebuhr as in your post...I know of him from his famous sea charts which have his signature silhouettes of the various landmarks as viewed by navigators from their ships.
I note from the book~ He was the first European traveller to penetrate the interior of the Arabian peninsula and produce an articulate account of it...The only survivor of the infamous Danish expedition of 1761, though, not the leader he ought to have been (that was Christian von Haven described as arrogant, indolent and fearful) Niebuhr was not considered because of his background and upbringing being merely a poor surveyor from the Friesland marshes ~ However he was a superb map maker and his map of Yemen was favoured for over 100 years. Of the team that set off only he survived as Malaria killed the others though he caught it and survived. Niebuhr often dressed in the Arabian style shown in the lithograph and became famous for his maps and documentary "Travels in Arabia".

In the book I have just read he is one of the stepping stone characters cleverly used by the author to illustrate the English romance with Arabia along with Laurent d ' Arvieux, Jean Louis Burckhardt, Punch in the form of Thackeray climbing the pyramids, Richard Burton, William Gifford Palgrove, Wilfred Blunt, Faris Sheikh of the Shammar, Charles M. Doughty, Lawrence of Arabia and finally Gertrude Bell.

I assume the dagger he is wearing in the lithograph (A Yemeni Thouma) was the one he brought home.

Ah!! I wrote this before I saw your other post called this is interesting where you have identified the actual museum piece ... very nice...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

12th December 2008, 08:26 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hey this guy has one in his shop in Yemen Knife-seller Abdullah al Azeri shows off a 300-year-old jambiya dagger that he says is worth more than $25,000. Azeri says his family has been in the knife business for more than 1,000 years. Attached Images

13th December 2008, 09:04 AM	#3
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Awesome Great discussion gents, one can leave very happy with the knowledge that has been shared here. The getting away from my original thread as you say Stu is of great benefit for myself and others who know little about this fasinating and some what mystical knife and it's clouded history. As Jim has always pointed out, historical ethic boundries and the changing of these boundries are very important in the discussion of weaponry and it is the weapons of this cross over of boundries that we all find so fasinating. Please continue.. regards Gav

15th December 2008, 10:53 PM	#5
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Carsten Niebuhr documented the jambiya in the 1760's. He evidently brought one back. I have searched the net but have not found a leads to it. That is the earliest I have heard of one though I would assume they are much older. Attached Images

15th December 2008, 11:37 PM	#6
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Here is a picture of the Sultan of Oman holding a kattara with the al bu said type of hilt and also a picture of the emir of Abu Dhabi, Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, wearing the UAE type khanjar and holding a kattara with a hilt of the usual type. Attached Images

16th December 2008, 06:29 AM	#7
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,789	A few more Jambiya/Khanjar for comparison Still on the same track, here are some examples from my collection of Meccan and Omani Khanjars. The first 2 pics are of Meccan Jambiyas and the last 2 of Omani Khanjars. Clear difference in the hilt is evident. Regards Stuart Attached Images

13th December 2008, 12:33 AM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,789	Hi Lew, We are probably getting away from Gavins original thread, but my personal comment to the age of that Jambiya in the pic is probably not printable. I have seen far too many Yemeni "genuine antique" daggers to believe the provenance without getting a VERY good look at the item. Old Jambiya in my experience NEVER have such a highly polished blade! As a rule I would NEVER buy ANY Yemeni item without being able to see it first. There are far too many fakes coming out of that area. Regards Stuart

15th December 2008, 03:11 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Gav If you travel to Yemen you should read this first. I copied this from an article. May 18, 2007 Beware of jambiya-snatchers When in Yemen, leave your fancy dagger at home: Abdul Wali Ali al-Robaiyee, 67, of Sana’a, owner of 30 very pricey jambiyas, describes one of the ways that thieves use to snatch a jambiya from an unsuspecting victim. First, the attacker tosses a cloud of spices into the eyes of the victim, temporarily blinding him. This gives the thief enough time to snatch the jambiya from its sheath and flee. This procedure is mostly done in the old city of Sana’a, because streets are narrow and winding, making escape easy, said al-Robaiyee. “In the old city of Sana’a this happens more than any other place. The small streets and the numerous side roads can make the victim very distracted, so that he loses the thief quickly.” “Some even run into stores or even homes, making it easier for them to disappear. The victim would stay at least five minutes with his eyes blurry and burning, and in the end he lost a very costly jambiya.” The number of jambiya thefts has been greater this year than ever before, said Abdul-Salaam al-Shibami of the Sana’a police department in Bab al-Yemen. “It started more than 10 years ago, but now it is increasing, and thieves are using different techniques. I advise older people who walk alone during the later part of the night not to wear their jambiyas for their own safety.”