Ethiopian saber - request for blade ID and supplier
 

Hello,
Enclosed please find photos of relatively ordinary saber.
Please, does anybody know anything about NH + Son (fils) supplier ?
Where does the blade come from ? I think it could be end of 18th century (?). (There is strange double groove at the end of the blade ...)
Could you appoint coat-of-arms (one-head eagle with the cross on the chest) ?
I cannot read properly the inscriptions. Are they significant for the allocation ? ("Blahmann ???, Solong...or Solingen ???)
All parts of the sabre were used a lot, it visible both om the handle and the blade.

Thanks for help.
Martin

more photos
 

more photos

Looks like the grip's pommel cap is missing - what is holding it together?

Do you mean by 'strange grooves', the two fullers near the tip?

Yes, one broad fuller merges into two narrow fullers near the tip. (I think, technologically it is not good solution. The blade was already bent in the "transition point" in the past, due to different strength properties caused by one fuller and two fullers).

The cap is missing. Nevertheless the spine going through the handle was hammered flat very properly long time ago, you can see edges polished by hand through the years of using. It everything holds very fast together, without any movements.

Hi, Martin. I have seen 3 or 4 so far of swords with one of the languettes marked like this. Also found a couple with the G.G. marking. The common one is the letter M in the Amharic alphabet. The other languette is always the Lion of Judah. The original blades are those with MENELIK and KUDDUS GHIORGIS engraved on the blade. The blade has been replaced. Looks Hungarian (???)_. N & H is most likely the importer of the sword originally made by Eickhorn in Solingen.

Hi Ron, Thank you. "N and H" was based in Addis Ababa ?

Not sure. I believe I saw a reference a while back to that effect. Here is a picture I found on line of the same hilt but different blade.

Very interesting! Thanks

Oriano