My first Nimcha

[TVV]

Fennec, thank you for input. You make a lot of great points. As the biggest country in Africa now, Algeria is so vast that some regional variation is to be expected.

Here is another nimcha, ex Claude, published in his book. The hilt to me looks Moroccan, but Claude classifies it as Algerian.

[Jim McDougall]

It seems there has long been a great deal of confusion on the 'nimcha'.
Setting aside the misnomer of the term itself, the classifications as to where the forms might be attributed has been baffling.

It does seem that the most familiar type without the ring on the guard is typically regarded as Moroccan. However Stone (1934) if I recall, does refer to these as Algerian. It seems that the attribution was based possibly on the broader association with the Malakite rite (if I recall) school of Islam? which transcended Algerian and Moroccan borders of course.

This example of 'ring guard' nimcha I acquired from Artzi about 24 years ago and it was said to be of a batch of 40 varied examples from an armory in Yemen some years before. Then he had noted these had been mounted in Zanzibar and to supply Yemeni forces during the various conflicts years before.
I believe I saw this attribution in the book by Alain Jacob (1985) as well.

In Buttin (1933) of course no such attribution to Zanzibar or specifically to Morocco or Algeria is made, only that these are ARAB sabers.

So if I understand, it appears that my example would be Algerian?
Though I know that there are nimchas attributable to Zanzibar, this ring guard feature appears to not be a factor.

The last image is a Moroccan sa'if (Moroccan markings at forte).

PS.....anyone know where I might find a copy of Eric Claudes book????

[TVV]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

So if I understand, it appears that my example would be Algerian?
Though I know that there are nimchas attributable to Zanzibar, this ring guard feature appears to not be a factor.

Jim, your example is Yemeni.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by TVV

Jim, your example is Yemeni.

Thanks Teodor, I did the unthinkable and reread through the thread. You explained this in your post #10.

[fennec]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

So if I understand, it appears that my example would be Algerian?

For me too it's from zanzibar. Too "big"/large pommel, I mean, no shape at all for the bottom, this is uncommon in algeria. You can also note that quillon wich is along the blade. It has the typical work from those place (zanzibar, but also oman etc), that display another geometry than algerian ones (usally something more round, like the rosebud etc), that looks like an animal head or I dont know (look the attached picture from a luxurious zanzibar nimcha).
The only point that could make it algerian for me, is the straight quillon covering the hand, and the straight shape of the handle, both points that are rare for zanzibar, but not enough to make it algerian.

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

PS.....anyone know where I might find a copy of Eric Claudes book????

Have you try to ask him directly (facebook, etc) ? Or may be can I for you ? I dont know if he still have some. I just dont come here very often so sorry by advance

[fennec]

Originally Posted by TVV

Here is another nimcha, ex Claude, published in his book. The hilt to me looks Moroccan, but Claude classifies it as Algerian.

Hi my friend.
Oh yeah I know it very well, I've even write some lines about it on my book. I've passed some days trying to find a meaning to the "magical square" and other writtings on it, making crosschecks with local algerian believes (well... may be I have to talk about Al Buni once.. or just publish that ****) etc..
So, yeah, for me it is an algerian sword.
First of all the guard, never seen one like that in morocco. Then the sword, more a "navy one", that those straight cavalery used in our neighbours coutry. Of course the writtings on it, that are, for me, also more used in algeria (many many swords wrote that way, or with full sentence.. never or very rarely seen in that "simple way" in morocco).
The hilt also display a pattern (floral shapes with 5 point flowers) that is common in Kabylie, and already used on some other pieces (I'll search exemple as soon as I can). And the shape of the hilt itself, note that little spine on the bottom, and a bit more textured pommel (the part that faces the quillon, its look a bit like the handle of those tourist/mariage little curved flissa). And of course, also the lines on each spine of it, Ive talked about before.
And then the scabbard, also an algerian thing for me... very common in algeria to find those "simple made" scabbard, with just a piece of brass as top and bottom, where morrocan usually make another kind of work, not to say more stylish haha...

[TVV]

When it comes to this type of guard, here is another sword with it and an English hanger blade. That one does look very Moroccan.