Mystery Sword Help Needed.

Norman McCormick · 3rd January 2008, 05:25 PM

Hello,
This arrived in the post this morning, my ideas are limited so please feel free. Overall length 34 inches, blade 29 1/4 inches, width 1 3/8 inches, bone handle I think and possibly, hopefully some age, certainly feels and looks like it. I think I've covered half the globe in the last couple of hours from Eastern Europe to Turkey to North Africa and Arabia and I'm feeling travel sick so please help if you can.
Regards,
Norman.

CharlesS · 3rd January 2008, 05:55 PM

My guess is a bedouin sword, possibly from Arabia, but more likely N. Africa.

ariel · 3rd January 2008, 06:05 PM

The blade surely looks N African.
The so-called "Bedouin" swords usually are much more sophisticated than this one, with a shashka-like handle etc.
But I tend to agree with Charles: it certainly looks like it belonged to a Bedouin. A poor, undernourished, one-goat Bedouin, but a Bedouin nevertheless.

Norman McCormick · 3rd January 2008, 06:46 PM

Hello,
I paid less than eighteen U.S.D. including postage so from what you say that's probably about right, maybe that's enough for another goat.
Regards,
Norman.

Henk · 3rd January 2008, 07:23 PM

It's appearance might not be superb, but nevertheless I think it's a fine blade.
Probably in the past it looked more sophisticated but the last Bedouin-owner made it to a usefull sword in his opinion.

TVV · 3rd January 2008, 07:29 PM

Norman,
My first thought when I saw your sword was that the blade resembles those found on the mystery Berber swords from the Maghreb (or Latin America). However, Charles and Ariel are probably right about it being a Bedouin sword from the Sinai or wherever those were used. The two types seem close enough, both geographically and in terms of blade shape.
I am not quite sure I understand you correctly, but are you saying that you acquired the sword in North Africa?
Regards,
Teodor

Norman McCormick · 3rd January 2008, 07:42 PM

Hello,
The sword was bought from e-bay U.K. I was the only bidder hence the price. Seemed to me worth a bit more but the photograph was very bad so maybe nobody wanted to take a chance. The goat reference was just a jocular riposte to the previous reply. Hope this clears things up.
Regards,
Norman

Norman McCormick · 3rd January 2008, 07:57 PM

Hello again,
I have to agree with Henk regardless of its looks it's not a bad blade to handle, light and quick I certainly wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of a well aimed swipe. Although the blade may have found its way to N. Africa did it start its life there? It looks more like a European sabre blade to me although possibly not heavy enough, everything seems to have been copied from time to time and from culture to culture including blade type so maybe difficult to pin down. Can anybody hazard a guess as to age.
Regards,
Norman.

VANDOO · 3rd January 2008, 08:03 PM

THE SWORD MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE THESE IN THE PAST AT ANY RATE A VERY GOOD DEAL AND SOMETHING NO ONE IS GOING TO SAY IS MADE RECENTLY FOR SALE TO TOURISTS. A GOOD OLD PIECE WITH A HISTORY IF ONLY IT COULD TELL THE TALE.

katana · 3rd January 2008, 11:17 PM

I think its a great ethnographic sword .... sure it has no frills ...but it is a good honest weapon .... love the blade. I'm sure it (the blade) has seen some history and was later rehilted, North Africa does seem likely.

Without doubt I would welcome it into my collection.

Regards David

3rd January 2008, 05:25 PM	#1
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,597	Mystery Sword Help Needed. Hello, This arrived in the post this morning, my ideas are limited so please feel free. Overall length 34 inches, blade 29 1/4 inches, width 1 3/8 inches, bone handle I think and possibly, hopefully some age, certainly feels and looks like it. I think I've covered half the globe in the last couple of hours from Eastern Europe to Turkey to North Africa and Arabia and I'm feeling travel sick so please help if you can. Regards, Norman. Attached Images

3rd January 2008, 08:03 PM	#9
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE SWORD MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE THESE IN THE PAST AT ANY RATE A VERY GOOD DEAL AND SOMETHING NO ONE IS GOING TO SAY IS MADE RECENTLY FOR SALE TO TOURISTS. A GOOD OLD PIECE WITH A HISTORY IF ONLY IT COULD TELL THE TALE. Attached Images

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3rd January 2008, 05:55 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	My guess is a bedouin sword, possibly from Arabia, but more likely N. Africa.

3rd January 2008, 06:05 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The blade surely looks N African. The so-called "Bedouin" swords usually are much more sophisticated than this one, with a shashka-like handle etc. But I tend to agree with Charles: it certainly looks like it belonged to a Bedouin. A poor, undernourished, one-goat Bedouin, but a Bedouin nevertheless.

3rd January 2008, 06:46 PM	#4
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,597	Hello, I paid less than eighteen U.S.D. including postage so from what you say that's probably about right, maybe that's enough for another goat. Regards, Norman.

3rd January 2008, 07:23 PM	#5
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	It's appearance might not be superb, but nevertheless I think it's a fine blade. Probably in the past it looked more sophisticated but the last Bedouin-owner made it to a usefull sword in his opinion.

3rd January 2008, 07:29 PM	#6
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,624	Norman, My first thought when I saw your sword was that the blade resembles those found on the mystery Berber swords from the Maghreb (or Latin America). However, Charles and Ariel are probably right about it being a Bedouin sword from the Sinai or wherever those were used. The two types seem close enough, both geographically and in terms of blade shape. I am not quite sure I understand you correctly, but are you saying that you acquired the sword in North Africa? Regards, Teodor

3rd January 2008, 07:42 PM	#7
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,597	Hello, The sword was bought from e-bay U.K. I was the only bidder hence the price. Seemed to me worth a bit more but the photograph was very bad so maybe nobody wanted to take a chance. The goat reference was just a jocular riposte to the previous reply. Hope this clears things up. Regards, Norman

3rd January 2008, 07:57 PM	#8
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,597	Hello again, I have to agree with Henk regardless of its looks it's not a bad blade to handle, light and quick I certainly wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of a well aimed swipe. Although the blade may have found its way to N. Africa did it start its life there? It looks more like a European sabre blade to me although possibly not heavy enough, everything seems to have been copied from time to time and from culture to culture including blade type so maybe difficult to pin down. Can anybody hazard a guess as to age. Regards, Norman.

3rd January 2008, 11:17 PM	#10
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	I think its a great ethnographic sword .... sure it has no frills ...but it is a good honest weapon .... love the blade. I'm sure it (the blade) has seen some history and was later rehilted, North Africa does seem likely. Without doubt I would welcome it into my collection. Regards David