Saif? Szabla?? What have I got?

phil.reid · 24th January 2025, 02:40 PM

What are peoples thoughts on this one? Arabic? Armenian? Caucas/ Polish? Elements of all , quite crude, picked up in local Auction , Australia

broadaxe · 26th January 2025, 05:38 PM

Nice representation of Syrian Saif, I would not say "crude", rather plain, or munition grade, a true fighting saber, with good Ottoman-period fittings, especially the leather stitching on the scabbard. The European military blade is less than usual choice for such swords.

Jim McDougall · 6th February 2025, 10:00 PM

This is a most appealing saber IMO, and as perfectly described by Broadaxe, has a European blade, which is frankly unusual on these. In regions of Arabia, Gulf of Aden, Egypt, etc. in the colonial periods officers of various nations often favored what they deemed exotic swords.
These kinds are to me most interesting with this kind of historical potential.

These Syrian style hilts were mostly situated in seems in the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium, Aden in Arabia latter 19th c. where outfitters in these regions catered to the whims of British officers. In that light, I think of Lawrence of Arabia in the early 20th c. who was situated to the north in Arabia, interestingly close to Syria. This context brought the popularity of these hilts with downward canted pommel into the far ranging Bedouin sphere.

24th January 2025, 02:40 PM	#1
phil.reid Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 61	Saif? Szabla?? What have I got? What are peoples thoughts on this one? Arabic? Armenian? Caucas/ Polish? Elements of all , quite crude, picked up in local Auction , Australia Attached Images

6th February 2025, 10:00 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,062	This is a most appealing saber IMO, and as perfectly described by Broadaxe, has a European blade, which is frankly unusual on these. In regions of Arabia, Gulf of Aden, Egypt, etc. in the colonial periods officers of various nations often favored what they deemed exotic swords. These kinds are to me most interesting with this kind of historical potential. These Syrian style hilts were mostly situated in seems in the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium, Aden in Arabia latter 19th c. where outfitters in these regions catered to the whims of British officers. In that light, I think of Lawrence of Arabia in the early 20th c. who was situated to the north in Arabia, interestingly close to Syria. This context brought the popularity of these hilts with downward canted pommel into the far ranging Bedouin sphere. Last edited by Jim McDougall; 6th February 2025 at 10:10 PM.

26th January 2025, 05:38 PM	#2
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	Nice representation of Syrian Saif, I would not say "crude", rather plain, or munition grade, a true fighting saber, with good Ottoman-period fittings, especially the leather stitching on the scabbard. The European military blade is less than usual choice for such swords.