Yemen, Ottoman Protectorate. An Ornate Jambiya, C.1900

This jambiya has a 370 mm long double-edged steel blade, magnetic, with sharpened edges and having a very sharp tip. The blade has a raised fuller and is embedded into a handle fabricated from a 120 mm long piece of wood with a dark brown finish. The wooden handle displays a unique design, decorated in six bands in silver that are affixed at various locations, each of which bears an ornate design: one is wrapped the handle and forms the crossguard, another is wrapped around the narrowed mid-point of the handle, the raised point of the pommel created by bands on either side, along with bands placed on either side running from the crossguard to the pommel.

The obverse of the handle has three large silver balls in place, with a large ornately-patterned circular disk at the base of each ball, making the handle easier to grip for the user. The reverse of the handle with smaller raised silver caps placed behind the ball positions and incorporating a connecting pin, securing the balls in place. Each of the three points of the pommel have silver caps, each with a disk at its base and are secured in place by a single pin, the jambiya measuring approximately 67 mm wide x 500 mm in length. The accompanying sheath is fabricated from wood, the obverse with the top portion enveloped in a large piece of silver bearing a repeating ornate design, secured by large strips in silver on either side, along with a band in silver that wraps around the throat. The lower portion on the obverse of the sheath is covered in a large piece of brass, the top segment bearing a repeating horizontal pattern, the bottom segment displaying an ornate pattern throughout on the upper and partially on the reverse. The finial is composed of a 23 mm long brass cap, bearing both horizontal rules and an ornate design, the finial incorporating a snub-nosed end, with two elongated wavy-styled bands placed upon the large piece of brass and protruding from the underside of the finial.

The reverse of the silver portion of the sheath has two loops attached for placement upon a belt. Placed behind the sheath are three leather-based items: the first of which is a piece of leather with its upper finished in black; fronted by an independent sleeve, the upper of which is finished in black, with a brown strap affixed around the mouth, the latter with a rivet and stud affixed; all of which is encased by a large piece of leather covering the exterior, the upper of which is finished in reddish-brown. Both the black and reddish-brown finished pieces of leather have two holes, in order for the two loops on the reverse of the sheath to pass through. This large piece of leather is secured in place by a strip of reddish-brown leather wrapped around the body of the sheath. In addition, the obverse has a 25 mm band of leather, formerly attached to the aforementioned large piece of leather on the reverse but has since experienced separation from it, wrapped angularly around the sheath, the band finished with a large leather tab, itself housing an ornately designed silver square, the square finished with a silver cap. Also, the strip of reddish-brown leather is aided in its securing of the band of leather by multiple brass bands displaying a series of repeating chevrons. The blade exhibits multiple nicks on the edges, along with contact marks and surface wear on the blade, the silver portions of the sheath exhibiting surface wear and disrupts the patterns, the brass portion with numerous dents and surface wear, exhibiting greening on the brass pieces, some of the leathers having hardened, but most relatively supple given their age and extended use. As worn.

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