Prestigious Ottoman Jambiya With Coral Teardrops From Trabzon, Wootz Steel Blade,

Ottoman Empire, Trebizond (Trabzon), 19th century
Materials: wootz steel (crucible steel), silver, coral, turquoise, wood, gilded brass.
Dimensions: Total length: 43 cm; dagger length: 37 cm; blade length: 23 cm.
Condition: in remarkable condition.

DESCRIPTION

An exceptional, prestigious Ottoman jambiya attributed to a workshop in Trebizond (Trabzon), a major center for the production of luxury weapons in the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century.

Intended for an aristocratic or princely clientele, this piece exemplifies the highest level of Ottoman goldsmithing and armorery.

The strongly curved blade is forged from genuine wootz steel (Oriental crucible steel). Its surface reveals a natural damascene pattern of remarkable fineness, forming an elegant moiré effect characteristic of the finest Oriental steels. The pommel is embellished with a superb gold damascene decoration combining plant scrollwork, ornamental frames, and an Oriental inscription executed with great precision.

The silver hilt is entirely adorned on its front face with thirty-four teardrop-shaped striated coral cabochons, harmoniously arranged around twenty-four turquoise beads. The reverse side is entirely decorated with exceptional repoussé and engraved silverwork consisting of a continuous network of foliage scrolls, palmettes, and stylized flowers.

The wooden scabbard, entirely covered in silver, echoes this sumptuous ornamentation. Its front face is set with sixty striated coral cabochons arranged in rosettes and eighty-five turquoise beads, while its reverse features an engraved and repoussé floral design that perfectly matches that of the handle. The engraved gilded brass tip elegantly completes this masterpiece of the highest caliber.

The extraordinary quality of the goldsmith’s work, the remarkable consistency of the piece as a whole, the preservation of all its original settings, and the presence of a genuine wootz steel blade place this jambiya among the finest known Ottoman examples of its kind.

REFERENCE

Comparable to No. 214, page 93, in Robert Hales’ *Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armor*, a reference work dedicated to Islamic and Oriental weapons.

MARKET POSITIONING

This jambiya is a first-rate collector’s item.

Thanks to the exceptional quality of its wootz steel, the richness of its coral and turquoise decoration, the finesse of its goldsmithing, and its remarkable state of preservation, it belongs to the category of the most prestigious 19th-century Ottoman weapons.

To the best of our knowledge, no other example combining this level of quality, decorative richness, and uniformity is currently available on the international market. This observation pertains to currently available offerings and does not include private or museum collections.