My first Nimcha

[Jacenty]

Hello everyone. This is my first post.
I have just bought my first Nimcha.

The sabre has a damaged sheath and handle. The handle is from some kind of horn.

It has an interesting wooden scabbard. Hand-carved.

There is a mark stamped on the blade. This is the only marking on this sabre.

I would ask more experienced collectors for their opinion on this sabre, its originality, age etc.
Should its handle be repaired?
Or fit a new one, in the European style?
Thank you for your replies.

Jacenty

[werecow]

The hilt style (with the relatively thin brass guard and the straight grip with relatively straight projecting relatively symmetric finger hook, and the small projection along the back of the pommel) and in particular the scabbard suggest an Algerian origin. The scabbard is very reminiscent of those on Algerian flyssa. See here for other examples of such scabbards on flyssa and nimcha.




For comparison here are various styles of nimcha grips, where yours is (to my eyes) closest to the third from the left in overall shape:



The Zanzibar types on the right of it are more curved and have a bigger finger hook, while the Moroccan ones on the left are also slightly more curved and usually have a steel guard with thicker branches, a thicker cross piece, and no projection along the back.

Personally I would leave the grip as is. I certainly wouldn't replace it. This style is pretty rare so even a damaged grip is interesting.

[Jim McDougall]

As often the case, ethnographic swords are difficult to identify or classify to a specific area, or for that matter, period. The regions along the North Africa coast from Morocco through Algeria are known as the Maghreb collectively.

This is a remarkable example of what I would refer to as a Maghrebi sa'if, however long ago collectors began referring to these type sabers as 'nimcha'.

Your example, as well noted by Werecow has characteristics of varied influences, and 'nimchas' with this type guard system (knuckleguard and downturned quillons) are known from both Morocco and Algeria. Illustrations of a nimcha discussing the blade in Briggs (1965) refer to an Algerian example, unfortunately the overall sword is not shown.

The scabbard seems clearly Algerian, resembling the pierced pattern wood work of the Kabyle flyssa, but may not be original to the sword so the identification must go to the sword itself.

Identifying these weapons regionally typically goes to the hilt, as blades from many sources were used, and often remounted as they changed hands over generations.

The 'nimcha' itself is an Arab weapon, though it found use in Morocco, Algeria and Zanzibar as well as in Arabia of course. This is well shown in Buttin (1933) where these are shown in number, all identified as Arab sa'if.
The peak on the hilt suggests this is early, probably late 18th-early 19th (though of course the style continued as per tradition) and excitedly noting these times along the Maghrebi coast, that of the Barbary corsairs. Naturally we cannot prove that, but it is a fun possibility.

The blade appears European and likely late 18th c. possibly Italian? but cannot identify the poincon in blade center. The flared distal end suggests again a cutlass type use, which concurs with the pirate use notion, again highly speculative.

While the raised ring guard on this example align with 'Zanzibar' classifications, we now know that while these types of 'nimcha' were well known there, they were by no means exclusive to there. I will say that the peaked pommel does seems more prevalent in the Zanzibar types.

Having said all that, please pardon my exuberance in this long winded entry, but this is a remarkable and exciting example !
Please do not alter or over clean, just stabilize to avoid any further deterioration.

These examples attached are my much later examples, and not nearly the stature of yours......the first 'Zanzibar'....next 'Moroccan', and show the more commonly seen types.

[TVV]

For a first nimcha you have done quite well, congratulations. The scabbard is likely a replacement, but the decorations are indeed very similar to those on flyssa scabbards, which suggests a Kabyle reuse at some point. The blade and hilt are older, and I agree with Jim's 18th century guess on them. I wonder if the tip profile was changed as well at some point, as the widening is typically far more dramatic.

I personally quite like your nimcha as an example of a weapon which was used and repurposed over a couple of centuries.

[werecow]

To add, I would suggest checking out the chapter in Eric Claude's book "La Petit Catalogue des Armes Blanches Marocaines et Algériennes" (The Small Catalogue of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons) called "The Algerian Nimcha". A very useful book with lots of nice examples and bilingual descriptions. See awkwardly taken picture below.

[Jacenty]

Thank you for your answers.
I give the dimensions of the sabre:
overall length: 950 mm,
blade dimensions: length. 815 mm, width 32.3 mm, ( at the hilt 41.3 mm), thickness 6.2 mm...,
deflection 2 cm.
The blade has a length like that of a cavalryman.
The head is springy. When held by the hilt (tip) it bends like a spade.
The sabre scabbard is made in a primitive manner. Two woods connected by nails. The wood is stained. At the ends of the scabbard were applied clamps of brass plate.

[Jim McDougall]

The reference from Eric Claude is outstanding, and I cannot believe I have failed to get that book! Teodor and I have had many great discussions on these over many years and his keen specialization on the nimcha have given me a greater understanding of the form(s) through those detailed discussions (see 'search' under nimcha to see these).

As he notes the blade does not have the more dramatic flare typical of the Algerian forms of blade often seen. It seems these types of blades date back to the 16th c. as does the 'nimcha' type hilt ("Arts of the Muslim Knight", Mohammed, #40; Elgood, "Arms & Armor of Arabia). A sultan of Tunis c. 1573 is shown with a nimcha, and one of the oldest examples known is c. 1532, from Oran, Algeria (in Met in N.Y.). ..when this was a haven for Turkish pirates.

The nimcha was used by the Black Guard of the Alawi Sultan of Morocco as well as the Odjak of Algiers, so clearly was in use in its numerous variations from Morocco, Algiers, as far as Tunis.........in Arabia in Yemen, as far as Zanzibar, via the Muscati trade routes to the Omani Sultanate there.

The D-ring form seems mostly aligned with Yemen and Zanzibar...though one example seen has a Star of Solomon on the blade, which suggests one of the Armenian importers in Harar (Ethiopia), reflecting the many sources for blades on these swords.

So this shows the often extant conflict of hilt features, not to mention blades on these.

On a more historical note, these hilts seem to derive from Italian forms of 16th century ("A Late Fifteenth Century Italian Sword" Anthony North, Connousseur, Dec. 1975) with similar guard system.
Also part of this influence comes the familiar 'hand nock' notch at the top of the grip, which seems the almost signature element noticeable in these Arab swords. This feature also transmitted to Spanish colonial sword types via their colonies in Morocco and trade in the Spanish Main.

First example pictured has the widened point mentioned in earlier nimchas, and from those from the Oran example, whose 16th c, form continued in these regions. This example remounted with karabela style hilt from Yemen, 19th c.

The next is a Spanish colonial full length sword with espada ancha type hilt, shell guard as popular in Americas in Spanish trade ports of call in Caribbean, hilt 18th c. (note hand nock of N.African infl.) with 19th c. blade.

Last is another Spanish colonial (these typically S. American) with early 19th c. British blade, hilt with shell guard and serpent quillon popular in eastern Mexico ports (again note hand nock).

[werecow]

It's also worth pointing out that Eric Claude mentions that most of the "Algerian" nimcha blades come from Genoa, but of course there was also the connection with Spain, so perhaps the stamp is a slightly atypical rendering of the half moon mark?

[Jim McDougall]

Very astutely noted Werecow!!! That does look like the Toledo espadero del rey half moon and as copied often placed in blade center (contrary to actual use on Spanish blades). While Solingen of course was well known for spurious use of markings and names from Toledo on their blades, the configuration here seems more like perhaps placed in either Yemeni or other trade blade entrepot.

I have seen many Yemen blades which were typically trade imports, often had spurious markings placed, for example a Milanese mark coupled with a single dentated arc (as in 'Genoa' sickle mark) incongruently.

As previously mentioned, on a 'Zanzibari' type nimcha there was a trade blade (probably Solingen) marked with an MK and star of Solomon surround at the forte. This was the mark of Kedvorkian, one of the many Armenian importers in Harar, Ethiopia. Clearly the blade entered the trade networks ending up likely in Zanzibar, where local artisans hilted it.

Here I would note in post #2, the plate of nimchas with green background...the FAR right example with hilt canted sharply and with three peaked elements......this is a hilt form attributed to Hadhemaut, south Yemen. It is noted as similar to the same type hilt found on the 'billao' weapons of Somalia. Again, the cross influence of form and elements through trade or other interaction.

[TVV]

Jim the Ethiopian blade you show is now in Stu's collection, was in mine before, and I am very certain that it received its current hilt in Yemen. There are Yemeni nimcha types and they are generally cruder than the Zanzibar versions, with the pommel at a 90 degree angle as opposed to the smaller angle on Zanzibar grips.

Back to the sword that started the thread. While this one is without any doubt Algerian, based on the scabbard, I wonder if we should attribute all earlier nimchas with brass guards to Algeria. Either they were not popular in Morocco until later, when the form was adopted with local Moroccan guard versions, or they were popular in a wider area, and not just in Algeria, and we are wrong in trying to classify these on geographic basis instead of chronological one.

[Jacenty]

I found another Nimcha on this forum with a similar seal to the one on my sabre. Perhaps it is just a coincidence?

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you for that note Teodor, I recall seeing that most interesting nimcha here on the pages years ago. It was fascinating to me mostly from that remarkable blade which I found associated with the Armenian importer Kevorkian in Harar, Ethiopia.
The simplicity and style of the hilt with the 'D guard' which has become known colloquially in collectors parlance as 'Zanzibar' I totally agree is likely Yemeni, as likely my own example previously posted in this thread.

Here I would note that a great many swords, and blades went from Ethiopia into Yemen primarily to obtain the rhino horn from the hilts. This of course offered a supply of blades, many of which were mounted in San'aa in various hilt forms, and resulting in the presence often of Ge'ez script from Amharic inscriptions on many Arab swords.


The first reference to these ring guard hilts as Zanzibari was in "Les Armes Blanches du Monde Islamique" , Alain Jacob, 1985. When I acquired my example years ago from Oriental Arms, Artzi explained to me that it was one of about 40 he got from an old armory in Yemen, and that these swords had come from Zanzibar. I have forgotten how long ago he noted this acquisition happened but I presume it may have been in the 80s.

It was interesting in researching these, one of the key references commonly used was Charles Buttin's 1933 catalogue, where these types were included with a large grouping of examples of the North African types, and all are listed only as Arab sa'if. There is no specific classification to Zanzibar, Morocco, Algeria or other....and as asserted by Dominique Buttin (pers. cov. 2004)...these are all simply Arab sa'if.

I agree that the Algerian attributions are likely correct, and the association with the Kabyle type wood scabbard is compelling evidence. Here I would note that George C. Stone in his venerable compendium (1934) referred to the 'nimcha' as Algerian. It has been suggested that the diffusion of the form into Morocco was probably via the Sunni following of the Maliki School of Islam.

The preferences of local artisans for materials used in mounting of the various numbers of blades circulating through mostly trade networks seems of course inconsistent and probably relied on many factors. It does not seem there is any viable axiom to classify these 'nimcha' forms to region or period other than sound provenance or notable propensity of type to area.
That factored in with the long circulation of blades which often ended up in trade circumstances many times over, as well as the fact that these swords were often important as gifts or awards further accounts for diffusion.
"
As always, I like to keep things brief , " the history of the nimchas" soon to be a thrilling movie! uh huh.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Jacenty

I found another Nimcha on this forum with a similar seal to the one on my sabre. Perhaps it is just a coincidence?
Attachment 238636

More compelling evidence that this is Algerian! It does seem that trade centers in Algeria had workers who indeed used cold stamps which replicated well known marks to suggest blade quality and impress buyers. Again this is seen in Briggs(1965) in his illustration of a nimcha with three groove fullers like this.
He was situated in Algeria when he wrote his work on the blades used in Tuareg swords and daggers, so his focus on blades became one of the key references on the topic.

[werecow]

Originally Posted by Jacenty

I found another Nimcha on this forum with a similar seal to the one on my sabre. Perhaps it is just a coincidence?
Attachment 238636

Interesting! Where did you spot this one? Would be good to cross link these threads.

[Jacenty]

This blade designation is in this entry:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=nimcha