Tunisian or Libyan berber sword with scabbard

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by werecow

...

Thanks for the kodmi scabbard pic. Still not entirely sure what the seller was referring to, tbh. To me, they look quite different, but maybe I'm missing some context or overlooking some details of construction.

I'm not sure what the Bou Saadi khodmi ref was either
Hopefully someone can shed some light on it. None of the khodmi knife scabbards we've seen in this thread remind me of the sabre scabbard in the earlier post.
Probably we shouldn't let it sidetrack us further without more info to relate them. I like that sabre and scabbard, it has a primitive bedouin look to it. I wonder if the colourful cloth/string knotwork on the scabbard is camel hair.

[werecow]

This sword was auctioned off today, so I suppose I can add it here now.

[werecow]

And might as well add the remaining two pics.

[TVV]

Thank you for sharing werecow. The silver casing is certainly nice, but I am more intrigued by the blade - looks well worn and potentially quite old.

[werecow]

Originally Posted by TVV

Thank you for sharing werecow. The silver casing is certainly nice, but I am more intrigued by the blade - looks well worn and potentially quite old.

Yeah, it's an interesting blade. I'm quite curious what the scabbard would've looked like, too.

And I also noticed that on this example the pommel is again slightly twisted. Might be a coincidence of course as it's very slight, but still.

[G. Mansfield]

I just received this khodmi and I think the seller is referring to examples such as this one. However, this is the first time that I have seen this type of sheath with stitching. The more common type is the dyed red leather over wood sheaths, sometimes with brass fittings. The decorative stitching is very similar in the colorful geometrical shapes and patterns to the baldric on your Berber sword werecow.

-Geoffrey

[werecow]

Indeed it is! Nice scabbard, very colorful. Thanks for sharing this example!

[G. Mansfield]

I also acquired the silver Berber sword in discussion. I would like to confirm that the pommel is slightly offset but very tight. One side is more noticeable than the other when looking at it straight on. It seems to be a common occurrence on these swords, and I have seen quite a few with twisted pommels. The blade is also very old, definitely European in origin and 18th century my guess. However, there are no stampings or maker’s mark at least on the blade, the tang has not been checked.

I would like to post more pictures of the two hilt sides as they consist of some interesting iconology. One side, there is a camel under a crescent moon. The reverse, a fish and rooster. A quick google search states that the fish is a protective symbol to ward off the evil eye. The camel is a symbol of wealth and prestige, and the rooster promotes fertility. Can anyone confirm or elaborate on the meaning or symbolism of these motifs?

There are also a few circular stamps on the silver hilt. Though none of these show an entirely clean stamp, I photographed the best preserved one. Could this be a stamp of the maker? City? A seal of the Ottoman regency of Tunis or Tripolitania? I know that it is hard to decipher but any clues could help narrow the mystery. I will try to further look at all the stampings and try to piece the legible parts together.

-Geoffrey