On the Origins of the so-called Berber Sabres

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by machinist

Now the good news, I found a "Berber sword" at the local gunshow

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.

Congratulation your sword is absolutly gorgeous!!

I read a lot of pages on this forum on the so-called Berber swords, Spanish and Central America...
I think the Berber swords are Berbers point.
The similarity with Spanish colonial swords is obvious, the Western Sahara was a Spanish colonial territory.
Your sword is likely from this area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara

About the Roman letters, they are not incommon in North Africa and countries colonized by Europeans. I have seen a lot on Algerian Moukhala. They were all from the very late 19th c. or early 20th c.
I will place your sword in this range, even if the blade is maybe earlier.

Best,
Kubur