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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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Just ended.
As per Elgood, this is what a real Nimcha looks like. And the blade is laminated, to boot! |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,818
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Thats a very nice blade there Ariel, did you win it or at least have a go at it??
Gav |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Paris (FR*) Cairo (EG)
Posts: 1,142
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Hi Fox
you said ; "As per Elgood, this is what a real Nimcha" ... as far as my knowledge a Nimcha is a single-handed sword from northwestern Africa, especially Morocco, no ? ![]() these swords could bear strong resemblances to the neighboring Arab saif or from Mozambique As per as your picture that nice sword looks more "Qilich style" or might be a "Qilich-Shamiya style" at least ![]() but as "Nimcha" I'm realy surprise, and .... I should need a training ![]() à + Dom |
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#4 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,287
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This really begs the question .
No ? |
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#5 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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A great looking blade with the interesting expanded tip, which in effect is of the yelman tipped sabres of Turkic ancestry and this one looks very similar to the example in "Arms & Armour of Arabia" (Elgood, p.10, fig. 2.1). The one illustrated has the 'karabela' style hilt, and the blade is described as 17th-18th century.
The example shown by Rick illustrates that these expanded tip blades were well known in the maritime sphere of the Arabs from SE Asia to North Africa, with hilts reflecting local taste. These blades were often remounted many times in thier working lives, and it is hard to say what style hilt might have been on this blade in earlier times. The hilt on this is clearly Ottoman of course and latter 19th century...it is interesting to see the upward swept quillons. The old blade has the partial dentated semi circle used by native smiths recalling trade blade marks of the 'sickle marks' of Styria and the Caucusus. As far as the term 'nimcha'....it has of course become loosely applied to the Moroccan multiquilloned hilt swords of the 17th-20th century, apparantly somewhat incorrectly . Elgood notes that the term actually means nim =half and sha is also diminutive, suggesting it refers to a smaller type sword (many of the blades such as seen with this example are actually relatively small). The Moroccan swords are typically mounted with all manner of full length trade blades, with many actually straight backsword types, so the term becomes confusing literally, however now commonly used by collectors. From what I have understood, much like the 'kaskara' in Sudanese regions (a term unknown in the Sudan), these swords are termed locally as sa'if, the Arabic term for sword, and as Lee once so eloquently noted, were 'not otherwise specified'. This 'nimcha' with what appears later Ottoman hilt may well have been remounted in third quarter 19th century with Ottoman reconquests in al Hasa and the Yemen Intriguing blade with lots of character, and no doubt history to go with it. All best regards, Jim |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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Well, gentlemen, please look at this one
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=nimcha that I posted quite some time ago. Reminds you of something? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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