Interesting Saif for Discussion
 

hey all,

I got this one today. Its very interesting. The fittings appear to be newer then the blade and is dated with the time its owner passed away (a date 1398 hijri + "may God have mercy on him" is obviously a reference to the death of the owner) So perhaps one of his relatives restored it and hanged it in the diwan which is a very common practice in the gulf area. The hilt is unorthodox in decoration style but shape is the common L shape. Blade appears to be a non-local production and I think it is Persian. I handled alot of these and most blades made in modern day KSA (from early 20th century too) seem to be of different shape and finish, the shape is very similar to Persian blades I owned/handled.

That's a very fine sword Lotfy. Is the blade wootz?
I like the L shaped hilt very much!

Hey Gene,

Thanks. I need to etch the blade to be sure. I can see something but it could be anything... the blade is pretty nice and thick its certainly made for use and is very sharp.

I found this one along with a Moro kris with a pattern welded blade, another Moro sword (cant remember their name, their hilts look like a crocodile mouth) and a gunong but their pricing was ridiculos compared to the saif. Its very VERY strange that Moro items sell more expensively then a silver saif in Kuwait lol

http://oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=1945

The other Moro sword was a kampilan very similar to this one. The hilt was very well carved and it had a scabbard held by a metal band... the blade is alittle different as it doesnt have the hook on the tip. Couldnt find much about it as the blade was covered in red rust...

The kris was very clean, and if it doesnt sell I am thinking of having a go for it later. the hilt though had MoP and some wood that had dots on it similar to the pattern found on some keris scabbards... It had a complete scabbard with rattan and a cloth band. I wish I could have taken photos, but the seller didnt want to as with most Kuwaiti dealers. No idea why.

Hi Lotfy,

What metal are the mounts made of?

How does the hilt feel in hand?
BEst
Gene

Hey Gene,

The hilt is very comfortable. I am 193cm tall and abit with large hands but its very nice and comfy. Some Saifs can be uncomfortable if the hilt is squared off like most ardha swords :/

The scabbard is silver but I believe the chape is a lower grade silver or white metal. Something I saw often, probably due to poverty.

Well the blade is wootz. The pattern did not appear on the whole sword but granted I didnt spend much time on it. I have a guest coming in a few minutes and I smell like vinegar! lol

Very nice!

Excellent! It's a lovely sword Lotfy.
Congratulations