Nimcha: opinions and translations?

Tatyana Dianova · 19th June 2007, 04:08 PM

I bought recently a nice nimcha. It is a big sword: a bit more than 1 meter overall. The handle seems to be from rhino horn, decorated with silver ring with enamel. The similar in style silver and enamel detail is on the top of the handle. The guard is of interesting form and it is decorated with gold koftgary.
The blade seems to be of Europenian origin. There are North Italian blade marks (dots, eyelashes and cross between them). But I wasn’t able to find similar blade in any of my books. It seems to be older, then 19th century. Can somebody tell me the age of the blade and have somebody seen anything similar? The age of the whole sword? Its origin?
There are also chiseled Arabic ornaments on the both sides of the blade. They consist of 4 different types of flowers and Arabic inscriptions. Maybe somebody can translate them (they are not very well preserved, especially on the side with blade marks). There is also an Arabic inscription on the back of the blade: the name of the master or owner?
Any help will be much appreciated.

Jens Nordlunde · 19th June 2007, 04:56 PM

Hi Tatyana,

It seems like an interesting nimcha you have added to your collection – congratulations

. I don’t know much about nimchas, and I cant help you with the translation, but I have a few comments. The quillons are strange, but I think the way they are made must protect the hand quite well. The blade seems to be old, and it could be European as well, although I am not convinced. It could be Yemen or East Africa, but lets hear the specialists on this area. ‘Eyelashes’ can be seen on blades from many places, one of these places is India, and there you often see each eyelash start and end with three dots. There seem to be ‘three dots’ on other places on the blade – without the lashes – are there, and if yes how many, and are they only on one side of the blade?

Jens

ariel · 19th June 2007, 06:39 PM

Very intriguing.
The "stumps" on the langets ( or, in this case, are they quillons?

) look like a transitional step between the classic North African and the Zanzibari forms.
The "eyleashes with dots" were, as Jens notices, as popular in the area then as words " Made in China" are now.
As a matter of fact, the contour of the blade is kind of shashka-ish. There were a lot of shashka blades from Daghestan, many with the gurda mark, in Southern Arabia toward the end of the 19th century. Etching one with more "local" decoratios was a piece of baklawa then as it is now.
The bottom line, until some compassionate soul translates the inscription, you are in the datk. But then...... All will be revealed!

Tim Simmons · 19th June 2007, 08:42 PM

What a tragedy this very nice sword has been parted from its scabbard. I wonder if this was originally a fairly basic trade blade beautified in N. Africa. Some say girls are better at fishing also

.

Tatyana Dianova · 19th June 2007, 09:17 PM

Thank you all for your comments!
Jens, all the dots from the blade marks you may see on the picture above. There are none on the other side of the blade or in any other place.

Jens Nordlunde · 19th June 2007, 10:42 PM

This means that all the dot markings are on the 'left' side of the blade - am I right?

Jens

19th June 2007, 04:08 PM	#1
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Nimcha: opinions and translations? I bought recently a nice nimcha. It is a big sword: a bit more than 1 meter overall. The handle seems to be from rhino horn, decorated with silver ring with enamel. The similar in style silver and enamel detail is on the top of the handle. The guard is of interesting form and it is decorated with gold koftgary. The blade seems to be of Europenian origin. There are North Italian blade marks (dots, eyelashes and cross between them). But I wasn’t able to find similar blade in any of my books. It seems to be older, then 19th century. Can somebody tell me the age of the blade and have somebody seen anything similar? The age of the whole sword? Its origin? There are also chiseled Arabic ornaments on the both sides of the blade. They consist of 4 different types of flowers and Arabic inscriptions. Maybe somebody can translate them (they are not very well preserved, especially on the side with blade marks). There is also an Arabic inscription on the back of the blade: the name of the master or owner? Any help will be much appreciated. Attached Images

19th June 2007, 04:56 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Tatyana, It seems like an interesting nimcha you have added to your collection – congratulations. I don’t know much about nimchas, and I cant help you with the translation, but I have a few comments. The quillons are strange, but I think the way they are made must protect the hand quite well. The blade seems to be old, and it could be European as well, although I am not convinced. It could be Yemen or East Africa, but lets hear the specialists on this area. ‘Eyelashes’ can be seen on blades from many places, one of these places is India, and there you often see each eyelash start and end with three dots. There seem to be ‘three dots’ on other places on the blade – without the lashes – are there, and if yes how many, and are they only on one side of the blade? Jens

19th June 2007, 06:39 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Very intriguing. The "stumps" on the langets ( or, in this case, are they quillons? ) look like a transitional step between the classic North African and the Zanzibari forms. The "eyleashes with dots" were, as Jens notices, as popular in the area then as words " Made in China" are now. As a matter of fact, the contour of the blade is kind of shashka-ish. There were a lot of shashka blades from Daghestan, many with the gurda mark, in Southern Arabia toward the end of the 19th century. Etching one with more "local" decoratios was a piece of baklawa then as it is now. The bottom line, until some compassionate soul translates the inscription, you are in the datk. But then...... All will be revealed!

19th June 2007, 08:42 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	What a tragedy this very nice sword has been parted from its scabbard. I wonder if this was originally a fairly basic trade blade beautified in N. Africa. Some say girls are better at fishing also .

19th June 2007, 09:17 PM	#5
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Thank you all for your comments! Jens, all the dots from the blade marks you may see on the picture above. There are none on the other side of the blade or in any other place.

19th June 2007, 10:42 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	This means that all the dot markings are on the 'left' side of the blade - am I right? Jens