On the Origins of the so-called Berber Sabres

[machinist]

First of all an apology, the pic I submitted as a Yucatan ocellated turkey is a photoshop of a North American turkey, the real ocellated turkey still has a appearance that could influence these shell guards (see pic below) but I should have been more diligent in my research. I have sent Andy a PM since he seems interested on the subject.

Now the good news, I found a "Berber sword" at the local gunshow, the sheath is as good as you will find with the stitching tight, no splits in the leather and some decorative dye remaining. The blade is like many of these, a re-purposed wide fullered blade with a cusped tip. the point is more extreme than any I have seen. It seems rather fragile.

The handle is held together with copper rivets and heavily decorated with brass, some unidentifiable gray metal and two pieces that look like German silver. The gray metal looks like epoxy or plastic but I scratched a small area with a pinpoint and it is silvery metal underneath.

There are the initials BF as well as what looks like a B on the other side. One of the Berber sabers on the sold section of Artzi's website has a set of initials similarly placed (JR) which brings up the likelihood of Roman letters being used on the handle of a north African sword.

I find the difference between the measured and calm decoration of the scabbard and the crazy hodge-podge of the handle striking, I wonder if these were owner modified.