Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Teodor, there is nothing wrong with calling them Zanzibar nimchas, as these types over the past decades have become classified as such. Obviously you have resounding experience with these over these past decades, and I recall discussions those years ago with Louis-Pierre, agreeing that the Zanzibar term seemed most suitable.
The apparently limited examples I refer to with European blades are those with ANDREA FERARA blade; Spanish motto; and these types of European cavalry blades as in OP.
I recognize the markings you describe, some of which seem copies of German marks of 19th c. but these blades I thought were perhaps Solingen blanks. You are saying the blades on most 'nimcha' were 'locally' produced? or from India? which centers or locations in the Maghreb or India produced blades?
I think that the 'name game' has become necessary as collecting interests have grown in order to have a semantically viable glossary to use in reference and discussion. Collecting is based on classification, where in most historic accounts and narratives most references to weapons only require the type; edged, knife, sword, gun, rifle.
Actually I rather regret having brought these particulars up.
|
Jim, the sword subject to this thread has a blade that seems to follow European cavalry sword patterns, but does it actually have any marks on it? Perhaps efrahjalt can answer that.
I have seen Maghrebi swords with Andrea Ferrara inscriptions, but never a Zanzibar/Oman one, and this includes the book by Clarizia, where he has published all items in the National Museum in Muscat. And this extends to all kinds of European marks, stamps and inscriptions - I am yet to see any of them on a Zanzibar nimcha hilted blade.