Odd Sword

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Any ideas on this weapon?... Looks like an Ethiopian style. (Readers are pointed to the fact that that the picture of 3 in a group shows the pommel and tang at photo top left. The tang has been lengthened.)

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ian]

Ibrahiim:

Could you please provide the full Latin inscription. It is hard to make out the word. Is it "MOIDUM"? That does not make sense to me. Perhaps another letter in front?

Do you think the blade is Western European in origin?

Ian.

[Iain]

I am slightly unsure what is considered 'odd' about this sword. Its a European blade of likely Solingen make.

It is not Ethiopian in anyway.

The hilt appears to be typical for Omani remounts. But I am surprised Ibrahiim hasn't pointed that out?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Iain

I am slightly unsure what is considered 'odd' about this sword. Its a European blade of likely Solingen make.

It is not Ethiopian in anyway.

The hilt appears to be typical for Omani remounts. But I am surprised Ibrahiim hasn't pointed that out?

Salaams Iain ..Yes you are partly right since I thought I would let people have a go at this without too much prompting from me.

Its odd because the blade marks are as you say undecipherable with a peculiar W and weird looking D and another D then a 1 then a very odd looking S or 5 .... So it looks like W D D 1 5 or rather 5 1 D D M

The hilt is an extended job. It looks like an Omanified sword particularly with the pommel of a type I am not familiar with in terms of the 6 pointed star decoration.. Thus, odd, from that standpoint.

I would say this was a European export blade which has had the Omani hilt extension and therefor likely to have journeyed along the Africa(Ethiopia) to Sanaa to Muttrah route (though oddly this came in as a photo only so I cant give it the bend test) ...and having ended up in a large private collection.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Iain ..Yes you are partly right since I thought I would let people have a go at this without too much prompting from me.

Its odd because the blade marks are as you say undecipherable with a peculiar W and weird looking D and another D then a 1 then a very odd looking S or 5 .... So it looks like W D D 1 5 or rather 5 1 D D M

The hilt is an extended job. It looks like an Omanified sword particularly with the pommel of a type I am not familiar with in terms of the 6 pointed star decoration.. Thus, odd, from that standpoint.

I would say this was a European export blade which has had the Omani hilt extension and therefor likely to have journeyed along the Africa(Ethiopia) to Sanaa to Muttrah route (though oddly this came in as a photo only so I cant give it the bend test) ...and having ended up in a large private collection.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Right, well hopefully Jim or one of the other more European oriented members will have a go at the inscription. There are myriad versions of these, often spelled differently and making it a bit of a challenge at times. In any case the format and the anchor at the top of the inscription correspond to a number of blades I've see in the past that fall into the 16th century. So certainly a nice old blade I think.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
It would appear that someone has at some point attempted to imitate the interlocking triangles and proof slug found on 19thC British blades, presumably to increase the perceived value of the blade.
Regards,
Norman.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Ian

Ibrahiim:

Could you please provide the full Latin inscription. It is hard to make out the word. Is it "MOIDUM"? That does not make sense to me. Perhaps another letter in front?

Do you think the blade is Western European in origin?

Ian.

Salaams Ian, Latin not my strongpoint however ...It could be a number sequence in Latin? I dont recognise the inscription at all thus my tag that it was odd...in addition to a Pommel decoration I have never seen before.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Kubur]

Salaam,
I think at something like that:
http://www.davidmus.dk/en/collection...uks/art/1-1998
Ibrahim & Iain, have a look at this link.
Is it possible to have an European blade, reused by Mamluks then by Omani?
Best,
Kubur

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Salaam,
I think at something like that:
http://www.davidmus.dk/en/collection...uks/art/1-1998
Ibrahim & Iain, have a look at this link.
Is it possible to have an European blade, reused by Mamluks then by Omani?
Best,
Kubur

The sword you linked to is part of a specific set. That is much earlier than the blade in the sword Ibrahiim presented.

The swords in your link were donated in a number of series to the arsenal in Alexandria. I recommend back issues of the Park Lane Fair publication which feature a number of highly insightful articles on the subject by Clive Thomas and David Oliver.

The blade shown by Ibrahiim has the look more of a 16th or 17th century blade perhaps found on a walloon hilt originally. Those more versed in European blades can hopefully elaborate or correct this impression.