Moroccan Koummya Dagger and Scabbard, White Metal Mounts, Mid-20th Century

A Moroccan koummya dagger with its matching scabbard. The classic form: flared “winged” pommel, curved single-edged blade, and a tapering scabbard with a knopped terminal. Overall length approximately 261 mm.

WHAT IT IS, STATED PLAINLY. This is a decorative koummya of the type made in quantity in Morocco through the middle of the twentieth century. It is an attractive, complete and well-presented example of exactly that, and it is offered as exactly that.

THE METAL IS NOT TESTED AND IS NOT SOLD AS SILVER. The mounts are a white metal, most likely maillechort (nickel silver), which is what the great majority of these carry. There are no hallmarks or assay marks anywhere on the piece. This listing previously described the mounts as silver. That was never tested and the claim has been withdrawn.

THE STONES ARE NOT TESTED AND ARE NOT SOLD AS GARNETS. Eight red cabochons are set in simple collets, six on the scabbard and two on the hilt. They are uniform in colour and tone and are consistent with red glass or paste, which is standard on these. This listing previously called them garnet cabochons. That was never tested and the claim has been withdrawn.

AGE. The blade is bright and polished with no forge patina, and the decoration is rolled and stamped rather than hand-chased. Both point to mid-twentieth-century manufacture rather than a nineteenth-century piece. The title previously read “Very old”. It does not any more.

CONDITION. Complete with its scabbard, all stones present, mounts sound, blade clean and free of pitting or nicks. Light surface wear and minor tarnish consistent with age and handling. The scabbard shows shell or mother-of-pearl veneer with some age to the seams.

WHY THE PRICE MOVED, AND MOVED A LONG WAY. This was listed at GBP 7,600 reduced to GBP 6,500. That was wrong by a wide margin and it is corrected here. Decorative mid-century koummyas of this size and construction change hands in the United Kingdom at roughly GBP 40 to GBP 150 depending on completeness and quality of decoration. This is a good one - complete, sound, all stones present, nicely made - so it is priced at the upper end of that band and not above it. If you have it tested and the mounts turn out to be assayable silver, that upside is yours.

ALL ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION OF BEING IN STOCK.

The identification, condition assessment and valuation in this listing were produced by an AI analysis of photographs. No metal test, hallmark search or gemmological test has been carried out. ALL PURCHASES ARE MADE ENTIRELY AT THE BUYER’S OWN RISK. Sold as seen. These are second-hand goods and there are no returns beyond your statutory rights.