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Knife w/horn scabbard (what animal?)
01 April 2007, 23:11
Badger MattKnife w/horn scabbard (what animal?)
Any idea what animal this horn came from...?
02 April 2007, 01:04
wsquaredIt looks like a Blesbok horn to me.
02 April 2007, 01:16
David Culpepperquote:
Originally posted by wsquared:
It looks like a Blesbok horn to me.
That's what I am thinking too.
02 April 2007, 02:52
Aspen Hill AdventuresI could be wrong but when I opened the thread and saw the photo I thought Blesbok as well.
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02 April 2007, 03:07
MARK H. YOUNGI understand what you folks are saying about it might be a blesbok but I have 2 and neither of them has the distinct corrugated ridges on the sides of the horns like this scabbard has. Perhaps mine are really old animals. Otherwise I'm having trouble venturing a guess.
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https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 02 April 2007, 05:16
Badger MattThanks guys.
Not me, but found this Blesbok and it looks about right.
02 April 2007, 08:51
shakariLooking at the shape of the horn and the workmanship of the metalwork etc, I'd say there's a chance it's of east African origin.
Any chance of showing the blade and a variety of angles? Also, do the ridges on the horn go all the way around it, or is it smooth at the back?
02 April 2007, 09:00
LRH270Blesbok.
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02 April 2007, 09:02
MacD37quote:
Originally posted by shakari:
Looking at the shape of the horn and the workmanship of the metalwork etc, I'd say there's a chance it's of east African origin.
?
Shakari, the horn may be East African,but I suspect the knife was made in one of the ARABIC countries.
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02 April 2007, 09:40
shakariMac,
I agree completely, there's a lot of Arabic influence in EA which was the very point I was making.... I've never seen that quality of work come out of southern Africa. - I'm not suggesting it doesn't just that I haven't seen anything that good.....
I don't think it's blesbok as blesbok horns are usually ovoid rather than round and that horn looks too round - or at least, too round to be a blesbok. That horn also looks to be ridged all the way round and blesbok is flat (ish) at the back..... To say nothing of the fact that blesbok horn tends to curve in two seperate directions and that horn appears to only change shape in one direction. - my guess is it's more likely to be something of EA origin..... top end of one of the gazelles perhaps? - It'd probably be easier to identify with more pics though.
I don't think it's possible for anyone to make an absolutely positive identification from one picture, no matter how good or experienced of different African countries they are ..... all anyone can do is make an educated guess at best.
02 April 2007, 10:27
NitroXSwahili/Arabic influence daggar.
Thompson Gazelle of course.
02 April 2007, 10:31
shakariGlad someone agrees with me!
Any idea of age ofthe piece?
03 April 2007, 03:21
Badger MattI purchased it in the Middle-East, but don't believe it to be very old. The metal is sort of like aluminum and appears to be stamped rather than engraved.
03 April 2007, 05:29
Pauly3511Not a Blesbok not even close....
Gazelle of some sort TG or what have you
03 April 2007, 07:46
Jeff Wemmer"Tommie" was my first guess!
JW
03 April 2007, 08:24
NitroXquote:
Originally posted by Badger Matt:
I purchased it in the Middle-East, but don't believe it to be very old. The metal is sort of like aluminum and appears to be stamped rather than engraved.
Can you show a photo with the daggar beside the scabbard please?
Thanks.
Where in the Middle East did you purchase it?
In various counties (eg India, Pakistan) a lot of re-productions are made for the tourist market. Even though more cheaply done they look good on a wall at a distance. Close up they often show the defects.
I like this one however with the gazelle horn scabbard. Very exotic.
03 April 2007, 13:10
Jaco HumanSteve is 100% correct, not a Blesbok. The rings on a Blesbok is not so prominent, they do not go all the way around and they tend to be white on the lower parts of the horn. A Bontebok got darker horns and it does go all the way around, but it is not the horn of a Bontebok.
I second that it is a Tommie
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www.sahuntexp.com 03 April 2007, 13:29
shakariMy guess is that it's the top section of one of the gazelles, but it could be from pretty much any of the gazelles from anywhere in the regions they occur. As I said before, the workmanship looks east African/Arabic to me..... but of course, it could always be a copy from elsewhere. Is the handle made of ivory, bone or plastic?
04 April 2007, 02:27
Badger MattJohn -- Here's the pic requested.
Steve -- I suspect the handle is bone. My photography skills are nil but there is some yellowing that looks like what I've seen when fats/greases leach from bear skulls. I couldn't see the ends without disassembling the handle -- wanted to check for ivory "cross-hatching" like I have in some elephant ivory handgun grips.
06 April 2007, 00:40
NitroXThanks for the unsheathed photo.
Ivory will yellow as well.
06 April 2007, 06:22
L. David KeithI think Steve hit the nail on the head. However, I've seen this workmanship come out of India. They had a great influence during the Livingstone era and later. I will bet on the Gazelle family. Maybe Tommie but there are a couple of other suspects too. I would lean towards Ivory handle and inlays. The workmanship is much better quality than found in modern times, not the rank of royalty, but no poor man owned this knife originally. Badger Matt; if you can mail me a hard copy (several if possible) I'll examine it closely with Tommie, Grants and a few other species. Cool blade. My personal favorite is a custom knife with Mastodon tusk handles. LDK
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06 April 2007, 14:23
NitroXNot having examined it closely other than the photographs to me it looks like a modern tourist replica probably made by resident Indians in East Africa.
The quality of the silver work would give it away and the blade. Modern replicas are usually stamped not engraved metal.
Still a very nice conversion piece and I would definitely bargain for such a knife if I saw it if a decent price was possible. A good buy.
Whether the handle or grip is ivory or bone, it could still be a replica. Ivory can be had on replica knives.
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