An Unusual Ethiopian Short Sword

derek · 24th March 2005, 04:17 PM

Guys,

I picked this up recently from a friend in NZ. It had been in a local Antique shop there and he knew I was interested in Abyssinian blades. So, now it resides in the hills of east TN.

It's about 2 feet long, the blade has a faint gilded color, and the scabbard and coins seem to be plated. The plating is chipped in a few places, especially evident on one coin.

The coins are silver Birrs from Abyssinia, one is 1898 with Menelik's face. They have both been drilled through to make the ends of the horn grip. The rings in the grip do not appear to be aluminum and are probably silver.

Overall, it's a pretty nicely done piece, and it's consistent with the look of Abyssinian weapons, but I'm a little confused about the fact that someone drill their monarch's face twice mounted it to a sword. Usually the coins seen on Abyssinian swords are repros of a much older european coin from the 1700's. Would it not have been considered bad to punch holes in your ruler's (or past ruler's) likeness?

Conogre · 24th March 2005, 04:50 PM

That's a beautiful sword, one of the nicest that I've seen.
The national ruler was often of little or no importance to many nomadic tribesman, while a man's weapon would likely be among his most prized possesions, and often a badge of honor, rank or status as well.
The coins in this case may well just be another indicator of a superior weapon, as it appears to be.
I wouldn't be surprised if all of the spacers were originally coins and even the scabbard/sheath, which appears to be either silver or well done silvered brass.
Mike

derek · 24th March 2005, 05:50 PM

Thanks, Mike.

It's definitely an odd one. Rudy D'Angelo has an extensive collection of Abyssinian and North African weapons and this one stumped him a little. The scabbard is like the coins in that it appears to have silver metal under a gold plating of some sort. The blade is more gold "washed" or gilded, but very faint.
I saw one like it (same size, similar scabbard) on ebay months ago and let it pass. I almost wish I had it now for comparison. Anyone on the forum pick that one up?

-d

Yannis · 24th March 2005, 06:14 PM

I am sorry to play devils advocate but does a tribal weapon and a silver plate metal match?

I dont know a lot about Abyssinian swords (I wish I had one) but I have the feeling of something more recent than the coin. The usual hilt of shotels (I think this is in this category) is one piece of horn. Here we have something lot more esthetic. The usual scabbard is wood and leather, sometimes with silver chape and throat. Here we have something more elaborate. I don’t say it is tourist piece. But I have the feeling that is not "correct" somehow.

Also it has a Syrian “touch” that I cant define.

I hope these devilish words don’t hurt anybody and I will be glad to learn that I am wrong.

Conogre · 24th March 2005, 06:38 PM

LOL!
I can't see anyone getting offended over your statements, Yannis, and you're somewhat correct in your observations, but I'd say only in relation to tribal level pieces.
Gold plating has been seen in pieces as old as the 1500's, I believe.
N Africa had a lot of exposure, being at the hub of many trade routes and was even part of the ancient Greek empire, with a lot of European influence as far back as the Crusades, being a staging area for armies heading to the Holy Lands.
While this particular sword doesn't appear extremely old, the early to mid 19th century wouldn't surprise me if it was well cared for, and possibly even a little older.
For the type, it's a beautiful specimen, and, as I said earlier, I'd suspect a presentation piece much moreso than a "tourist" sword, having all of the earmarks of a real weapon.
Africa is unusual in that it's not unusual to find pieces from the superb to the rudimentry found side by side and with all levels in between.
One Uzbekistan sword I have was purchased by a Michigan college professor from a camel caravan camped outside of Jerusalem in the early 1990's, indicating that some old ways continue on, even today.
Mike

Aurangzeb · 24th March 2005, 06:44 PM

Hi all!

Very nice shortsword.Interesting design.

Tim Simmons · 24th March 2005, 06:53 PM

Plating has been done since ancient times,by what is known as fire gilding, now illegal in most of the western world.The precious metal is disolved in mercury appied to the piece and burnt off as gas leaving the item plated.Mercury is very piosonous.Tim

derek · 24th March 2005, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannis

I am sorry to play devils advocate but does a tribal weapon and a silver plate metal match?

I dont know a lot about Abyssinian swords (I wish I had one) but I have the feeling of something more recent than the coin. The usual hilt of shotels (I think this is in this category) is one piece of horn. Here we have something lot more esthetic. The usual scabbard is wood and leather, sometimes with silver chape and throat. Here we have something more elaborate. I don’t say it is tourist piece. But I have the feeling that is not "correct" somehow.

Also it has a Syrian “touch” that I cant define.

I hope these devilish words don’t hurt anybody and I will be glad to learn that I am wrong.

Hi Yannis,
All comments welcome! Let me point you to some Abyssinian examples with both multi-piece grips and gilding on the blade. These first pics are all multi- piece hilts:

The gilding will be harder in pics to show but here are a few that still show it:

Yannis, the Syrian thing, I see what you mean. It's the little addition at the end of the scabbard that really does it.

I think maybe "tribal" conveys something unintended when discussing Abyssinian weapons. By the mid-late 1800's they had acquired a lot of European weapons designed to their specifications. The gilding, plating, blueing were all present in weapons imported from the west.

-d

Tim Simmons · 24th March 2005, 06:20 PM

Hello, Thats rather nice,Menelik was fighting to unify the country,perhaps it is a weapon from an opposing war lord.It is most unlikly to be aluminimun as up untill ww1 world prodution was still in relativly low thousands of Tons.It may possibly be used as an exspence exotic metal.I have recently rekindled my interest in the horn of Africa.I will post pics of some of my examples.Tim

Tim Simmons · 24th March 2005, 08:21 PM

Gosh! what a lot.

derek · 24th March 2005, 08:36 PM

Thanks, Tim.
This shotel is my favorite in my collection, Abyssinian design but made in Solingen, hilt is bakelight (top):

This one came from NZ as well, actually, and was supposedly once owned by chess champion Peter Romanovsky.

tom hyle · 25th March 2005, 06:56 AM

How dare you own such lovely swords that I don't!

ha ha!
I note that all the shotels (but one) that have multiple part hilts have a single grip piece and seperate upper and/or lower guards (pommel and handguard), whereas the stacking on the threadstarter is multistacked and insterspaced with metal, more like a billao; much like a billao. Interesting is the way the metal stands above the horn. I've seen quite a bit of this; it seems to be because the horn shrinks with time, while the metal doesn't; I say this because the pieces often seem to have all been shaped together while assembled? Accident or on purpose, I bet it gives a good grip.

Yannis · 25th March 2005, 09:49 AM

Derek and Conogre
Thank you for the fellow feeling. As I said, I don’t know a lot about these swords so I enjoyed the the info and the photos. I am sad because recently I lost the opportunity to get a fine example of them.

Mark · 25th March 2005, 03:43 PM

Here is something sort of out of left field. This sword has a flavor of a koumyya (or jambya I suppose) in the shape of the blade. One possibility is that this is a piece from Eritrea, which was not part of the Ethiopian empire until after WWII, i.e., well after after Menelik's reign. Abyssinia actually refers specifically to Eritrea, though a lot of Eurpeans call the whole place Abyssinia. Nearer the Red Sea the population is mostly Muslim, and there were close contacts with Arabian and Yemeni ports, which would explain both the Arabish look of the pieces, and the drilling of the Ethiopian emperor's face. There was, and still is, a lot of animosity between Eritrea and Ethiopia, as well as between Christian and Muslim groups.

Perhaps another explanation is that the piece is from the reign of Haile Selassie, Menelik's successor, so there might not have been quite the respect for Menelik's image as there might have been while he was on the throne.

Finally, there was a lot of silver in the horn of Africa coming in the form of European coins, particularly so-called Empress Maria Theresa coins from Austria. Thus, there is a lot of silver work from that area and it would not be terribly surprising so see so much silver on a scabbard.

24th March 2005, 04:17 PM	#1
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	An Unusual Ethiopian Short Sword Guys, I picked this up recently from a friend in NZ. It had been in a local Antique shop there and he knew I was interested in Abyssinian blades. So, now it resides in the hills of east TN. It's about 2 feet long, the blade has a faint gilded color, and the scabbard and coins seem to be plated. The plating is chipped in a few places, especially evident on one coin. The coins are silver Birrs from Abyssinia, one is 1898 with Menelik's face. They have both been drilled through to make the ends of the horn grip. The rings in the grip do not appear to be aluminum and are probably silver. Overall, it's a pretty nicely done piece, and it's consistent with the look of Abyssinian weapons, but I'm a little confused about the fact that someone drill their monarch's face twice mounted it to a sword. Usually the coins seen on Abyssinian swords are repros of a much older european coin from the 1700's. Would it not have been considered bad to punch holes in your ruler's (or past ruler's) likeness?

24th March 2005, 06:44 PM	#6
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Nice sword Hi all! Very nice shortsword.Interesting design.

24th March 2005, 06:53 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Plating has been done since ancient times,by what is known as fire gilding, now illegal in most of the western world.The precious metal is disolved in mercury appied to the piece and burnt off as gas leaving the item plated.Mercury is very piosonous.Tim Last edited by Tim Simmons; 24th March 2005 at 07:46 PM.

24th March 2005, 04:50 PM	#2
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	That's a beautiful sword, one of the nicest that I've seen. The national ruler was often of little or no importance to many nomadic tribesman, while a man's weapon would likely be among his most prized possesions, and often a badge of honor, rank or status as well. The coins in this case may well just be another indicator of a superior weapon, as it appears to be. I wouldn't be surprised if all of the spacers were originally coins and even the scabbard/sheath, which appears to be either silver or well done silvered brass. Mike

24th March 2005, 05:50 PM	#3
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Thanks, Mike. It's definitely an odd one. Rudy D'Angelo has an extensive collection of Abyssinian and North African weapons and this one stumped him a little. The scabbard is like the coins in that it appears to have silver metal under a gold plating of some sort. The blade is more gold "washed" or gilded, but very faint. I saw one like it (same size, similar scabbard) on ebay months ago and let it pass. I almost wish I had it now for comparison. Anyone on the forum pick that one up? -d

24th March 2005, 06:14 PM	#4
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	I am sorry to play devils advocate but does a tribal weapon and a silver plate metal match? I dont know a lot about Abyssinian swords (I wish I had one) but I have the feeling of something more recent than the coin. The usual hilt of shotels (I think this is in this category) is one piece of horn. Here we have something lot more esthetic. The usual scabbard is wood and leather, sometimes with silver chape and throat. Here we have something more elaborate. I don’t say it is tourist piece. But I have the feeling that is not "correct" somehow. Also it has a Syrian “touch” that I cant define. I hope these devilish words don’t hurt anybody and I will be glad to learn that I am wrong.

24th March 2005, 06:38 PM	#5
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	LOL! I can't see anyone getting offended over your statements, Yannis, and you're somewhat correct in your observations, but I'd say only in relation to tribal level pieces. Gold plating has been seen in pieces as old as the 1500's, I believe. N Africa had a lot of exposure, being at the hub of many trade routes and was even part of the ancient Greek empire, with a lot of European influence as far back as the Crusades, being a staging area for armies heading to the Holy Lands. While this particular sword doesn't appear extremely old, the early to mid 19th century wouldn't surprise me if it was well cared for, and possibly even a little older. For the type, it's a beautiful specimen, and, as I said earlier, I'd suspect a presentation piece much moreso than a "tourist" sword, having all of the earmarks of a real weapon. Africa is unusual in that it's not unusual to find pieces from the superb to the rudimentry found side by side and with all levels in between. One Uzbekistan sword I have was purchased by a Michigan college professor from a camel caravan camped outside of Jerusalem in the early 1990's, indicating that some old ways continue on, even today. Mike

24th March 2005, 06:20 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Hello, Thats rather nice,Menelik was fighting to unify the country,perhaps it is a weapon from an opposing war lord.It is most unlikly to be aluminimun as up untill ww1 world prodution was still in relativly low thousands of Tons.It may possibly be used as an exspence exotic metal.I have recently rekindled my interest in the horn of Africa.I will post pics of some of my examples.Tim

24th March 2005, 08:21 PM	#10
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Gosh! what a lot.

24th March 2005, 08:36 PM	#11
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	Thanks, Tim. This shotel is my favorite in my collection, Abyssinian design but made in Solingen, hilt is bakelight (top): This one came from NZ as well, actually, and was supposedly once owned by chess champion Peter Romanovsky.

25th March 2005, 06:56 AM	#12
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	How dare you own such lovely swords that I don't! ha ha! I note that all the shotels (but one) that have multiple part hilts have a single grip piece and seperate upper and/or lower guards (pommel and handguard), whereas the stacking on the threadstarter is multistacked and insterspaced with metal, more like a billao; much like a billao. Interesting is the way the metal stands above the horn. I've seen quite a bit of this; it seems to be because the horn shrinks with time, while the metal doesn't; I say this because the pieces often seem to have all been shaped together while assembled? Accident or on purpose, I bet it gives a good grip.

25th March 2005, 09:49 AM	#13
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Derek and Conogre Thank you for the fellow feeling. As I said, I don’t know a lot about these swords so I enjoyed the the info and the photos. I am sad because recently I lost the opportunity to get a fine example of them.

25th March 2005, 03:43 PM	#14
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Here is something sort of out of left field. This sword has a flavor of a koumyya (or jambya I suppose) in the shape of the blade. One possibility is that this is a piece from Eritrea, which was not part of the Ethiopian empire until after WWII, i.e., well after after Menelik's reign. Abyssinia actually refers specifically to Eritrea, though a lot of Eurpeans call the whole place Abyssinia. Nearer the Red Sea the population is mostly Muslim, and there were close contacts with Arabian and Yemeni ports, which would explain both the Arabish look of the pieces, and the drilling of the Ethiopian emperor's face. There was, and still is, a lot of animosity between Eritrea and Ethiopia, as well as between Christian and Muslim groups. Perhaps another explanation is that the piece is from the reign of Haile Selassie, Menelik's successor, so there might not have been quite the respect for Menelik's image as there might have been while he was on the throne. Finally, there was a lot of silver in the horn of Africa coming in the form of European coins, particularly so-called Empress Maria Theresa coins from Austria. Thus, there is a lot of silver work from that area and it would not be terribly surprising so see so much silver on a scabbard.