ARAB SWORD SAIF??

[BerberDagger]

hi,
I ve just bought this arab sword... I think it could be an arab saif ... but im not sure...what do you think?

Heandle is horn with silver , blade is little curved with silver scabbard.

thanks

[ward]

saif just means sword in arabic. This is a shamshir. blade is cut down silver on hilt decoration is new. that crossguard looks new and does not fit. pretty much it looks like a put together piece

[BerberDagger]

hi, thanks you...

but i think thant is not cut...it is long 90 cm ... is impossible that it was more longer...or not?

please see this saif sold on oriental arms ,blade is similar...

[ward]

look at the fullers on yours and how far they go to the tip of the blade compare to the pic of artzi's shamshir.

[BerberDagger]

yes, but blade is not curved like turkish or persian shamshir....

becouse you think that it is shamshir?

[ALEX]

Originally Posted by BerberDagger

... I think it could be an arab saif ... but im not sure...what do you think? Heandle is horn with silver , blade is little curved with silver scabbard.
thanks

Yes, it is definitely an Arab Saif. And I agree with Ward - based on crossguard and hilt assembly, it looks like it had been put together/repaired recently (not necessarily yesterday, but not too long ago:-)... and nothing wrong with it, as many swords are this way. The handle is old. My first guess was that it had been put together in Yemen (based on wire decoration on the scabbard). Since the blade is 90 cm long, I am not sure it was cut (90 cm is a long blade already). Ward, what do you think?

[ward]

The only reason I am saying it is cut is because of the fullers running all the way out to the tip. The length is correct. I think the original sections of this sword probaly date to around 1900-1920 the rest 1970-2008

[BerberDagger]

not other opinion abaut this sword?

please let me known

[Dom]

Originally Posted by BerberDagger

not other opinion abaut this sword?

I spent 6 years in KSA between Jeddah and Riyadh,
I was addicted to antiquities souks
but I never saw a decoration on the scabbard like that one

almost of arabic sword are composite,
I remember have seen, in Jeddah Yemenite souk, craftsmen manufacturing crossguard,
other forging blades,
and then you was able to assembly your favorite "saïf" as you like it

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6045

à +

Dom

[S.Al-Anizi]

Nice Saif mate!

As Don, said, i would also say ive never seen anything like this..... The scabbard throat, chape, and the hilt and fittings are all in the Nejdi manner, a "Gurda" the blade most probably European. Although the hilt has some strange "syrian" influence to it.

May I ask about the the scabbard material?? is it of woven wool?

[BerberDagger]

thanks for reply...

Scabbard fittings are made of good silver.... wood and red leather...
please if you want other details let me known

thanks

[Dom]

Originally Posted by BerberDagger

Scabbard fittings are made of good silver.... wood and red leather...

a suggestion ... just a suggestion .... but don't knock on the top of my head
and "BerberDagger" PLEASE, don't hate me too much

since I saw the decoration on the scabbard, that make me uncomfortable,
because remind me something else ... away from our subject ... weapons

.... something like the decoration on Saudi Sandals (non traditional) made by Pakistanis
(lovely sandals, every time with me one to two pairs)

go ahead "S.Al-Anizi" to but not to much ... taught and rough

but ... are we here to look for deeply "our" truth, or what should be "the" truth

à +

Dom
ps/ so sorry if I'm too franc, and I hurt some body