Gorgeous Shamshir with... bad feeling

ariel · 5th April 2006, 11:09 PM

Here it is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1
The blade is wootz, no doubt about it. The silverwork is intact. But... bidder IDs are hidden. And the scabbard/handle are too intact and the design is pretty simple. There is a small dent at the upper part of the scabbard, but it does not affect any repousse.
I asked the seller a question and he assured me that the entire ensemble was genuine.
And then I saw this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1
Also a genuine wootz blade and also a very intact (too intact?) scabbard and handle. The joint between the blade and the handle is strange: the blade looks "burned" as if affected by soldering. And the silverwork is quite primiitive for that kind of blade.
I have bad feelings about both of these weapons.
I almost think that they may be coming from a single or, at the very least, related workshops somewhere in Syria or nearby. I am sure they can get all kind of old blades and then......
Any opinions? Please prove me wrong, I'll be the first one to cheer ( even though I was not the buyer).

5th April 2006, 11:09 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Gorgeous Shamshir with... bad feeling Here it is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1 The blade is wootz, no doubt about it. The silverwork is intact. But... bidder IDs are hidden. And the scabbard/handle are too intact and the design is pretty simple. There is a small dent at the upper part of the scabbard, but it does not affect any repousse. I asked the seller a question and he assured me that the entire ensemble was genuine. And then I saw this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1 Also a genuine wootz blade and also a very intact (too intact?) scabbard and handle. The joint between the blade and the handle is strange: the blade looks "burned" as if affected by soldering. And the silverwork is quite primiitive for that kind of blade. I have bad feelings about both of these weapons. I almost think that they may be coming from a single or, at the very least, related workshops somewhere in Syria or nearby. I am sure they can get all kind of old blades and then...... Any opinions? Please prove me wrong, I'll be the first one to cheer ( even though I was not the buyer).