Is this a scimitar? From where? When?

[Jim McDougall]

Ian, thank you for the assist on that! Between my Luddite computer skills and this Fisher-Price keyboard, I was stuck there !!!

Now having that name, I would note that it certainly does align with those nationalities, and that the convention of script signature of either maker or supplier of blade in late 18th c. was at this location typically on blade back.
The forces I mentioned, were indeed of pandour type in French armies as well as certain other European armies, and their forces were often of Balkan and East European nationality, many Hungarian.

This style of oriental/exotic motif on the blade was well known in these times in Nantes in France as 'Caissagnard', and often had a 'Turks head' or a turbaned figure.

[Oliver Pinchot]

The blade is as you conclude, Jim et al.
The hilt is a recent fabrication.

[Victrix]

When I google Dimusco I find that musco translated from Italian means 1) a small mouse whose fur smells of musk, or 2) moss? This is also used as surname in Italy. Hunting swords which I have seen often carry references to Pandours in the form of words ("Vivat Pandour") or related graphics (moon, star, figures, etc). The stag horn handle might suggest this is a hunting sword? On the other hand the width of the blade makes it more ferocious looking than other hirschfänger which I have seen. Could be a composite as suggested above?

[Neivalf99]

Wow what incredible info!
Thank you all so much, the inscription on the back is "Damasco"
with a crescent moon in front.
unfortunately the inscription on the other side of the blade is very worn.
Thanks again!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Neivalf99

... the inscription on the back is "Damasco"
with a crescent moon in front...

So, that's what it is, Neivalf99; precious info as well .

[Victrix]

Damasco is French/Spanish/Portuguese for Damascus.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Damasco is French/Spanish/Portuguese for Damascus.

Well done!!! This fits perfectly into the climate in which this blade is from, late 18th century, and likely in France as I described earlier probably to one of these auxiliary support units.
In this period there was great attention to quality in blades as well as to more ethereal imbuement, thus the talismanic and magical themes often inscribed in motif.
The 'damascus' term may well coincide with terms such as used in England with their 'warranted, never to fail' etc. on their blades. There were cases of 'cast steel' wording being used on some blades, and in Germany the word 'Eisenhauer' (= iron cutting) was used in instances. It has been suggested, or pointed out, that the well known use of 'Andrea Ferara' on Solingen blades, while believed to be an Italian smith, coincidentally means true (or good, 'Andrew' patron saint of Scotland) steel (=ferara, iron).

The crescent moon, as discussed in other recent threads, may allude to the espadero del rey's in Spain, as well as perhaps other 'magical' connotations.

As Oliver has astutely noted, the hilt, convincingly fabricated using stag horn, is incongruent with other examples of these swords I am aware of.

While we are referring to hirshfanger style hilts often employed in these swords, I have seen many of these with extremely heavy, and often recurved in yataghan form, blades. These are clearly for military use, not for simply hunting use, but the 'hunting' style in hilts was very fashionable in the times for court and dress accoutrement swords used by gentry and those of high station.

Regardless of the composite of the hilt, this blade is fascinating and well represents this exotic and intriguing period of most colorful military history.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Damasco is French/Spanish/Portuguese for Damascus.

Are you sure, Victrix ?
What i know is that, the French term is DAMAS.
Given that the inscription in this blade spine is hardly Portuguese, we have that the engraver used the Spanish word. One thesis would be that this engraving was a later addition, as the probability that such mark, more with such spelling, was used when and where this blade was forged, is a reduced one.

[thinreadline]

pity it is not musca rather than musco as this means 'fly' ( as in the insect ) in some romance languages ... and also 'sting' or 'bite' ... which would be very appropriate for a sword !

[Neivalf99]

here is a picture of the mark i found under the handle.
it is difficult to figure out, any ideas ?
i looked at the french ones late 1700's and they look like letters.
i see a squirell! if you rotate image.
Thank you again for all the info.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by fernando

Are you sure, Victrix ?
What i know is that, the French term is DAMAS.
Given that the inscription in this blade spine is hardly Portuguese, we have that the engraver used the Spanish word. One thesis would be that this engraving was a later addition, as the probability that such mark, more with such spelling, was used when and where this blade was forged, is a reduced one.

You are absolutely right, Fernando. It should have read Italian instead of French. The sword can hardly be from Damascus as it would then have the Arabic word for the city written on it. And the blade doesn't appear to be Damascus steel. So perhaps the maker wanted to impart that the sword purports to be in Damascus exotic "style"? Which is what I think Jim was informing us earlier.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Victrix

You are absolutely right, Fernando. It should have read Italian instead of French. The sword can hardly be from Damascus as it would then have the Arabic word for the city written on it. And the blade doesn't appear to be Damascus steel. So perhaps the maker wanted to impart that the sword purports to be in Damascus exotic "style"? Which is what I think Jim was informing us earlier.

Thank you Victrix!!
Indeed that was my impression, and good work in removing the hilt, which of course was as indicated, not original to this blade. These marks often on the tang are often not seen as few wish to dismantle the weapon and compromise its integrity as homogenous with that aspect.

When you mentioned squirrel, my first thoughts were the Eickhorns of course, but this animal does not seem to have the plumed tail (it may be gone from the cartouche). The book by Staffan Kinman is by the way, an outstanding reference which compiles data from the other well known compendiums very comprehensively.

Still there some other sources, need to look further. There is no doubt this is an 18th century blade, and as noted, a distinctive 'pandour' style point with the 'magic' decorative motif of the time.