The Omani Shamshiir.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Salutations Ibrahiim,

Indeed many Omani Kattara have imported blades, both curved sabre type and straight 'broadsword' trade-blade type.
Ah! But all Shamshir and Kattara are Sayf, but not all Sayf are Shamshir or Kattara!
Although the "Shamshir" is a common sword type with many region specific variations I also don't remember ever seeing a Shamshir attributed to local production in Oman.
However, that said the slight Omani touches on these imported swords are still interesting and I'm sure would add a premium to Shamshir sold to Omani collectors.
I assume that you intend to have your silverworkers "Omanicise" some plain Shamshir emulating those you have shown?

These local re-dressings are interesting and it would be good to see some other historic examples of "Omanicised" Shamshir to compare the 'level' of re-dressing with the work on the two you show.


Regards
Gene

Salaams Atlantia; Well that was a tongue twister and I'm still trying to fathom the ins and outs of your limeric about Kattaras and Sayfs

I've never seen a straight Omani Sayf dancing sword with a European blade and I've seen thousands of these blades. (except in the case of known rehilted jobs emanating through Mutrah Souk attached workshops and done in the last few decades there. They are all locally made blades and in the case of stamps of blade inscriptions they are all either copies of stamps or locally construed stamps.

The curved Omani Kattara on the other hand come in a variety of stamps both with and without and local as well as European stamps copied and/or original.

There is also to my knowledge no such animal as a localised Omani Shamshiir that you imagine are waiting to be given the full conversion to Omani like the ones at posts above. I have seen a couple of RAK old examples but I have no knowledge on the upgrading proceedure or when it was done or by whom. They all appear to be special commissions to which your next question is ... Well who added the Omani stuff ? I have absolutely no idea... but it is on my list to find out from the museums. I suspect commissioned to order perhaps from a Muscat specialist as yet not identified but attached to the Royal Court? Omani Shamshiir are dead rare. Ive never seen one outside of a museum which is where all my Omani Shamshiir exhibits are from (or a museum related book).

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.