Algerian? Maroccan? dagger

[Ascalon]

I received this piece last week.
The inscription on the blade are curious. Arabic number but gregorian calendar (1883). The other inscription seems to be more strange, i don't recognise the alphabet.
Any enlightenment welcomed.











Thanks

[kahnjar1]

Algerian in my humble opinion. Looks better than most I have seen.
Regards Stuart

[ariel]

The date is 1883.
Gregorian date using Arabic numerals? Or, is it 1883 H, ie 2448 Gregorian?

[Ascalon]

Christian kabyl or copte perhaps?

[Emanuel]

A Moroccan "wedding nimcha". Sometimes they have the smaller flyssa blades that were produced after the mid-19th century for "travellers".

The flyssa blades may have been produced by Kabyles at first, and then copied - with quality suffering greatly in my opinion - around Algeria and Morocco.

The handle is based on the Moroccan nimcha, so I'm further inclined to say this is a Moroccan piece.

This one is still far better than the "new" ones with blades stamped out of sheet metal.

Cheers,
Emanuel

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Manolo

A Moroccan "wedding nimcha". Sometimes they have the smaller flyssa blades that were produced after the mid-19th century for "travellers".



Cheers,
Emanuel

I agree with you Manolo. This though is a very finely made example excellent materials and workmanship.

Lew

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Ascalon

Christian kabyl or copte perhaps?

Copte ?
no way,
because Copte are from East Africa, e.i. ; Egypt, Sudan, and even Ethiopia

if Kabyl was, and are, for some of them, Christians, they aren't Coptic

also, in Islamic countries, specially about Egypt, the Christians (none military) wasn't allowed to carry weapons

in our case, I thing about a Berber short sword, mixup between; "flissa" and "nimcha" as well as mentionned Manolo, and Louis

à +

Dom