Morrocan Nimcha Sword ?

Cerjak · 25th February 2012, 11:50 AM

Handle is covered with Silver
blade with nice engraving to both sides. Sun and moon are typical for this type of sword ?i don't know anything about sword.
Would like to know if this blade came from an old french blade.
any comment will be welcome

Cerjak

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 25th February 2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cerjak

Handle is covered with Silver
blade with nice engraving to both sides. Sun and moon are typical for this type of sword ?i don't know anything about sword.
Would like to know if this blade came from an old french blade.
any comment will be welcome

Cerjak

Salaams Cerjak ~ Go to forum Search ... Type in Nimcha... Its pretty well all in there ~~~ Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Jim McDougall · 26th February 2012, 12:19 AM

Hi Cerjak,
As Ibrahiim has well noted, we have had many discussions on nimchas over the past years, and there is a warehouse of entries talking on them found using our search feature. However your example is somewhat atypical, and the repousse silver hilt is more of a style popular in Yemen, and into Hadhramaut.
The distinct quillon system on yours is as you have described, of the 'Moroccan' sa'if form, which is actually well known on these sabres throughout the Maghreb ports, as well as the Arabian trade networks into the Red Sea.
The blade is among the types typically seen through these regions also, and is most probably Solingen or less likely Caucasian trade blade of latter 18th and through the 19th c. These blades were constantly remounted through generations, and the style of yours suggests reasonably modern refurbishing and it would be hard to say what particular location in the Arabian sphere.

Whether the blade may have been French is a fair presumption, as these were of course widely available throughout French controlled regions, and the French did have profound use of German made blades as well. In this case I think it is unlikely, and other French markings would be present.

Thank you so much for posting this nice example!!!

All the best,
Jim

Jim McDougall · 27th February 2012, 04:31 PM

25th February 2012, 11:50 AM	#1
Cerjak Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: FRANCE Posts: 1,065	Morrocan Nimcha Sword ? Handle is covered with Silver blade with nice engraving to both sides. Sun and moon are typical for this type of sword ?i don't know anything about sword. Would like to know if this blade came from an old french blade. any comment will be welcome Cerjak Attached Images

26th February 2012, 12:19 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,948	Hi Cerjak, As Ibrahiim has well noted, we have had many discussions on nimchas over the past years, and there is a warehouse of entries talking on them found using our search feature. However your example is somewhat atypical, and the repousse silver hilt is more of a style popular in Yemen, and into Hadhramaut. The distinct quillon system on yours is as you have described, of the 'Moroccan' sa'if form, which is actually well known on these sabres throughout the Maghreb ports, as well as the Arabian trade networks into the Red Sea. The blade is among the types typically seen through these regions also, and is most probably Solingen or less likely Caucasian trade blade of latter 18th and through the 19th c. These blades were constantly remounted through generations, and the style of yours suggests reasonably modern refurbishing and it would be hard to say what particular location in the Arabian sphere. Whether the blade may have been French is a fair presumption, as these were of course widely available throughout French controlled regions, and the French did have profound use of German made blades as well. In this case I think it is unlikely, and other French markings would be present. Thank you so much for posting this nice example!!! All the best, Jim

27th February 2012, 04:31 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,948