Hi David, it's a beautiful piece!
Congrats to you for the acquisition
I've checked it and I saw something which might provide some light to it.
An the top is the script
الـلــه that reads as
allh
ا ± a
لـ ± l
لـ ± l
ـه ± h
On the second line is the script
نــصــر مــن that reads as
nšr mn
نـ ± n (i.e. without a dot)
ـصـ ± š
ـر ± r
مـ ± m
ـن ± n (i.e. without a dot)
And at the bottom is the script
وفــتــح that reads as
wfth
و ± w
فـ ± f (i.e. without a dot)
ـتـ ± t (i.e. without two dots)
ـح ±
h
Then the whole scripts is actualy
نــصــر مــن الـلــه وفــتــح that reads as
nšr mn allh wfth
In the current Malay spelling it reads as
našrun min Allahi wafathun.
The meaning in English is
"help from Allah and victory".
It is derived from a part of verse in Alqur'an 61:13.
IMHO the incomplete extract from the verse was purposely done so that the one who carries the sword do not have to strictly follow the Muslim etiquette in regards of Alquran.
The lack of dots in the script is a usual practice as the adding of dots and markings is done at the later stage which is after the period of the companions.
Hope this little helps brings some light to you, David
mohd