Another Jambiya for Comment

[Lew]

Lotfy

This is a typical quality jambiya for the man in the street. Mid 1970-80s as you stated the hilt is lower standard but the blade seems solid. Of course it can't compare with the older examples in my collection.

[A.alnakkas]

Here is mine. I replaced the blade with a rhino one. The other is very poor quality and is not authentic to the scabbard anyways :P

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Here is mine. I replaced the blade with a rhino one. The other is very poor quality and is not authentic to the scabbard anyways :P

Salaams A.alnakkas Are there any stamps on the back of the buckle or belt buttons ? The item looks fine and likely to be a masters work... pre 48. Replacing the hilt/dagger was a good move and is what local people do all the time in the Yemen; thus upgrading the weapon.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note extracted from http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=JAMBIA; see #34

Quote. "Jewish silversmiths used to have Muslim and Jewish customers, they also used to work for the royal Muslims, working specially with gold instead of the usual silver. These jewelers also worked doing decoration for the daggers worn by Muslims but not by the Jewish men. This decoration includes some parts of the dagger like amulets and other accessories used with the belt and the djambia.

It´s an interesting point that some of the jewelers were rabbis, they used to study the sacred texts and also dedicate their life to silversmithing. What i find very interesting is that, as they were students of the Kabalah and the Bible, they knew the symbolic meaning if the designs, their amuletic connotations and their connection to the Kabalistic texts. The fine techniques used in the creation of Yemeni jewellery was passed generation after generation as family secrets.

During the last Imam rule of Yemen, some Jewish silvermiths were called to teach their knowledge to Muslim jewelers, as most of the Jewish community was leaving the country to go to The Holy Land. Nowadays there are some newly Jewish style jewels, but the original antique ones show the finest techniques, like the Bedihi granulation and the finest examples of Bawsani filigree". Unquote

[A.alnakkas]

Salaam Ibrahim,

The work on my jambiya's scabbard is not Jewish work.

Its good quality and seems to be attributed as worn by the Ashraaf of Yemen.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Salaam Ibrahim,

The work on my jambiya's scabbard is not Jewish work.

Its good quality and seems to be attributed as worn by the Ashraaf of Yemen.

Salaams A.alnakkas . It is indeed excellent quality. Why do you not think it is Jewish work? It would be interesting to hear so that others looking in on the thread get a bit of knowledge on the subject to go with the picture.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams A.alnakkas . It is indeed excellent quality. Why do you not think it is Jewish work? It would be interesting to hear so that others looking in on the thread get a bit of knowledge on the subject to go with the picture.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

I always thought they make good granulation/filigree work and not work like mine. Though it could be?

Anyways, the script contains references to Allah (common between Muslims and Jews) but the mention of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) which I dont expect Jews to mention. But its all possible :-)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

I always thought they make good granulation/filigree work and not work like mine. Though it could be?

Anyways, the script contains references to Allah (common between Muslims and Jews) but the mention of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) which I dont expect Jews to mention. But its all possible :-)

Salaams I agree in part but note; Quote. "Jewish silversmiths used to have Muslim and Jewish customers, they also used to work for the royal Muslims, working specially with gold instead of the usual silver. These jewelers also worked doing decoration for the daggers worn by Muslims but not by the Jewish men. This decoration includes some parts of the dagger like amulets and other accessories used with the belt and the djambia'. Unquote.

What I find is that the information is thin on the ground and with the passage of time it will become thinner and eventually vanish. I wondered if there were any stamps on the Buckle etc and rather hoped for someone with an eye for Saudi and Yemeni work to take a broad look at the Jewish Yemeni craftsmanship. At the same time I hope to persuade fellow post originators to place a fair degree of detail and lightweight research around their submissions so as to encourage and promote the pictures which too often contain little or no background.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.