| Description |
Beautifully quality jambiya dagger in scabbard with heavily ornamented and complete belt, first half of the 20th century. The broad, deeply curved, double edged blade with thick mid-rib. One piece buffalo horn hilt decorated with inlaid nail head design, two iron rivets with round brass escutcheons in the form of ancient coins, narrow gilt silver ferrule tooled with Arabic inscriptions. The wooden scabbard entirely sheathed in finely worked silver with openwork and granulation on the lower portion and an elongated bulbous finial (repaired). The mouth portion covered with embroidered fabric retained with braided green leather strapwork, the reverse entirely covered in plain fabric. The wide, thick belt with gold thread embroidery in rows of geometric elements on the obverse, plain fabric on reverse, with five silver rosettes fitted with loose-rings applied along with three large silver fittings decorated in the same technique as the scabbard. A silversmith's stamp in Arabic on the reverse of one of the large silver fittings. Belt 39" L, dagger 12 1/4" L, blade 8 1/2" L. This dagger is a type called a Thouma and was worn by magistrates (Qadi) in Yemeni religious courts, and by the tribal nobility (Sayyidi) claiming descent from the prophet Mohammed. The workmanship of the scabbard, belt and its ornaments is consistent with that of Jewish craftsmen who monopolized the silver and blacksmiths trades in Sana'a, Yemen, prior to their emigrating to Israel en masse from the 1950s onward.
Finial repaired, else in excellent condition overall.
Ex-Private Southern California academic collection
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