🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Found Far down the rabbit hole, Magic treasure knife

Joecoins

Hero Member
Mar 21, 2016
878
811
PEI
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ace 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Treasure? For finding treasure?
Wand/ athame?
Aha Bes / Beset . Lingam, magic sigils. Gorgon...yali..etc...
Purchased last year on eBay.
After a series of incredible finds including bonafide athames and magic swords.
I found myself researching magical treasure hunting for fun. I had a book about the topic that I highly recommend. It was something like , Magical treasure hunting in Europe and North America.
I found myself looking at more stuff on eBay when I found this peice. It was unique so I bought it. In research I have come up with some ideas and it lead to researching down many rabbit holes. Anyone got some knowlege orcan point me in the right direction? Unfortunately no xrf analyzers nearby. And not many researches on these things
Thanks
It is kinda sharp I imagine it can be sharpened it is quite solid. Doesn't look like a typical letter opener to me...
Not with the sigils....
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Solution
The symbol on the one side of that looks somewhat closely related to the astrological symbol of Mercury looks suspiciously close to Dr. John Dee's Hieroglyphic Monad. Granted some subtle changes here and there to the symbol on the handle, but there are similarities. Also Dr. Dee and his scryer Edward Kelley did do a bit of dabbling into magickal treasure hunting when they weren't talking to angels.

Also, I just received that book you mentioned, Magical Treaaure Hunting in Europe and North America about a week before you posted this and I am quite impressed by the author's thoroughness of the history. I'm still working through the first chapter on the associated laws to treasure hunting. It's deep..
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This diety refered to as the "peg wielding diety" another coincidence , one of the figures on my bowl holds a peg Wich, I though quite weird. That it didn't look more like a dagger or sword. I thought an oversight in detail at first...
 

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Another photo of my current mystery..
 

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congrats!

[It is kinda sharp I imagine it can be sharpened it is quite solid. Doesn't look like a typical letter opener to me...]

Alright.
Go ahead and sharpen it then. Nevermind what that would do to it's few dollar value. No , it won't increase it.

Then hew a bit with it!
Maybe us it for a pry bar.
Pretty sure it's being magic will protect it and render it indestructible.

The piece is a crude letter opener.

HeMan.jpg
 

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I would never alter it. I was just describing the item.
If that's the way you see it fine.

Got a geus or theory about the sigil?
How about The origin of the design?
 

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I would never alter it. I was just describing the item.
If that's the way you see it fine.

Got a geus or theory about the sigil?
How about The origin of the design?
i don't know the seagul.
Middle Eastern crescent combined with Neptune's trident. Like whoever cast it didn't want to admit it too loudly..
The near grotesque mask hints too of an era far before the pieces construction.
Magic is more existence and or application than tangible objects granting ability. Never mind Hollywood.
Otherwise books could be priceless! More so those bearing oils and dandruff from prior users.
 

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Magic is more existence and or application than tangible objects granting ability. Never mind Hollywood. - I can agree with that.

I did not make this peice myself. Even though I could , if thats what your saying.

I agree about the "mask"

All these interesting things about it is why I bought it.

I found the symbols at first resembling basic sigils for bes as found on scarab amulets.

I find the peice has alot in similar with so called mitmor or meed mor knifes

Perhaps related ,inspired, or used as something similar.
 

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Magic is more existence and or application than tangible objects granting ability. Never mind Hollywood. - I can agree with that.

I did not make this peice myself. Even though I could , if thats what your saying.

I agree about the "mask"

All these interesting things about it is why I bought it.

I found the symbols at first resembling basic sigils for bes as found on scarab amulets.

I find the peice has alot in similar with so called mitmor or meed mor knifes

Perhaps related ,inspired, or used as something similar.
Creative license ?
Accumulated diverse symbols from a broad range?

Such things make ;provenance a good thing.
And a lack thereof sometimes part of a pieces mystic.
The money though.....(Well big money, or even a scruples value) ; goes to provenance.
 

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On the research of my upcoming bowl I am led again to this figure holding still a mystery object to me. I think this diety has a connection to the "black" shamans of tengrism
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I've seen many similar depictions of the same character.
Seems to run through certain cultures
The item below the left ring looks like part of a Dorje but they're in singles, doubles, and off the top of the head I forget what this one is called.
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So the style of the face in the bowl and my ring is a similar style.
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Nice ring ,cool stuff thanks for sharing .
I think he is called vijrakala. Or something like Makhala and I have seen other names.
The mystery object he is holding, I'm pretty shure is a skull cup. And sometimes I think? A representation of a dakini. she also prominently holds a skull cup
 

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Unfortunately you can't always get the provenance with an object. Won't stop me from buying it if I like it and the price is right..
"Creative license ?
Accumulated diverse symbols from a broad range?" Possible , I hope not such a diverse range and then I can narrow down some info..
Although maybe Probably these symbols of broad and diverse range may have a common very old source, and now appears in many forms....
 

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Unfortunately you can't always get the provenance with an object. Won't stop me from buying it if I like it and the price is right..
"Creative license ?
Accumulated diverse symbols from a broad range?" Possible , I hope not such a diverse range and then I can narrow down some info..
Although maybe Probably these symbols of broad and diverse range may have a common very old source, and now appears in many forms....
ha ha.
there's a point when you'll be more picky.
Moving, securing , or not being able to carry a collection can be one point.
 

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I won't be adding anymore grandfather clocks to my collection. I'm already quite picky by necessity. The right price for me is the unbelievable underpriced price.
 

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Continuing on my little research tangent...
I found some unbelievable creepy photos I'd like to share . Why is it depicted this way???
 

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Treasure? For finding treasure?
Wand/ athame?
Aha Bes / Beset . Lingam, magic sigils. Gorgon...yali..etc...
Purchased last year on eBay.
After a series of incredible finds including bonafide athames and magic swords.
I found myself researching magical treasure hunting for fun. I had a book about the topic that I highly recommend. It was something like , Magical treasure hunting in Europe and North America.
I found myself looking at more stuff on eBay when I found this peice. It was unique so I bought it. In research I have come up with some ideas and it lead to researching down many rabbit holes. Anyone got some knowlege orcan point me in the right direction? Unfortunately no xrf analyzers nearby. And not many researches on these things
Thanks
It is kinda sharp I imagine it can be sharpened it is quite solid. Doesn't look like a typical letter opener to me...
Not with the sigils....
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This looks more like a letter opener than a knife
 

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There is a chance it is by Coincidence maybe? Or by design...?
I found it unique and meriting research.
I have seen brass talisman knives I'm shure people would call a letter opener.
and I have seen iron daggers with blades in the shape of my brass example. That would also be called letter openers. And I have seen fancy letter openers with iron blades sold as expensive romantic daggers.....
I realize what it looks like. I hope to see an exact example to settle my mystery .
or to receive some guidance in research. Even if it is a mundane item. There is the markings and the imagery/form that interests me and people can help with solving or point me in a new direction.

maybe I should change the title to ,help me figure out the origin of the symbolism and design of the applied markings.

if you had it would you just toss it in a drawer because of what it resembles. Or try to solve the mystery that may interest you.
 

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What do you see on the guard. What are the "sigils"?
Where would it have been made?
 

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I think Harry Potter uses a similar one to open letters delivered by his owl, Hedwig.

All kidding aside, I don't see anything that makes me think this is particularly old. Or magic.
 

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