Koummya
Koummya
Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco
Early 20th century (ca. 1925 -1935)
Steel, ivory, silver
Blade: 22,9cm
Hilt & Blade: 40cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 43,2cm
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 295
Ex. Rick Stroud (RSWORD): Raleigh, North Carolina (2022)
Ex. Hermann Historica: Munich, Germany (2021)
Ex. Czerny's Auction House: Sarzana, Italy (2019)
A very fine example of the hanzer type of Moroccan koummya, very likely coming from the city of Marrakech. The double- edged steel blade is well made, quite heavy with a thick spine. A deep fuller spans approximately half of the length of the blade. Stamped with an unknown maker's mark at the base, possibly of Spanish manufacture The hilt is carved a beautiful light tone elephant ivory, capped with a silver lunate peacock tail pommel chiseled in Arabesque with the collar consistent in the same manner.
Its heavy silver sheath is also chisled in Arabesque decoration, florals, and scrolls with two silver suspension rings. The ram's head hallmark is stamped on the sheath collar, suspension ring, and chape bulb ring. The ram's head hallmark dates this koummya to after 1925 with similar examples circa 1930. An extraordinary koummya of fine silver craftsmanship and quality.
[1] https://www.rswordantiqueblades.com/sold#/new-gallery-432/
[4] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=30543
[5] Claude, Eric. 2020. “The Small Catalog of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons”. Pages 44 - 45 and 58 – 59
[6] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 24 – 26 (Info.)
[7] https://www.penn.museum/collections/object_images.php?irn=191682
[8] https://oriental-arms.com/product/very-fine-moroccan-koumaya-dagger-from-marrakech/