Kaskara with Arabic "seal" stamp

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by stephen wood

This is something of a first: a kaskara with a Arabic "seal" stamped on both sides of the blade.

It's quite an old piece - a heavy, stiff, trade blade that has seen a lot of use - it has a lot of old, deep scratches in the fuller. It has a forged fuller from the hilt to about a third down the blade and has a well-made iron crossguard with an X. All the leather has gone and the scabbard is not original. The missing grip binding allows an insight into the hit-and-miss nature of lining up the holes in the grip and the tang. The blade is very tight in the hilt - cloth padding is visible.

The hexagonal stamped marking is the same on both sides: unfortunately it has not been done evenly but fortunately the whole may be read from the two parts. I have no idea what its says or even if I have shown it the right way up. Perhaps there is a date.

As always your comments are most welcome.

Salaams, Is there any Arabic stamped on the blade... I see something about one foot down the fuller? The stamp is upside down but no problem it is perfectly translated by A.alnakkas. I see no date. Ibrahiim.






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