Kaskara sword from Moscow

alexikrol · 3rd June 2015, 11:47 AM

Hello.
In the large collection of oriental arms kept in the Museum of Anthropology of the Moscow State University there is a kaskara sword. There is a stamp W. Clauberg Solingen on the blade under the cross-guard and four Peter Munich stamps on the both sides of the blade. Inscriptions - suras from the Koran (48:1-2 and 3:169). It contains the date (1)102 AH which corresponds 1691. My suggestion is that the first number is 3. That would mean the date 1885 which perfectly correlate with the story of the sword (It was brought from Abyssinia in 1889).
I have two questions:
1. Is it possible that the Koranic verses and the date were copied from the older sword or the earlier date was engraved intentionally in order to increase the prise?
2. whether multiple scratches on both sides of the blade are traces of sharpening of it might be a try to imitate Damaskus steel?
Thank you in advance,
Alexei

3rd June 2015, 11:47 AM	#1
alexikrol Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1	Kaskara sword from Moscow Hello. In the large collection of oriental arms kept in the Museum of Anthropology of the Moscow State University there is a kaskara sword. There is a stamp W. Clauberg Solingen on the blade under the cross-guard and four Peter Munich stamps on the both sides of the blade. Inscriptions - suras from the Koran (48:1-2 and 3:169). It contains the date (1)102 AH which corresponds 1691. My suggestion is that the first number is 3. That would mean the date 1885 which perfectly correlate with the story of the sword (It was brought from Abyssinia in 1889). I have two questions: 1. Is it possible that the Koranic verses and the date were copied from the older sword or the earlier date was engraved intentionally in order to increase the prise? 2. whether multiple scratches on both sides of the blade are traces of sharpening of it might be a try to imitate Damaskus steel? Thank you in advance, Alexei Attached Images