Old? New? Yemeni Sword
 

Hi,

I recently bought this Yemeni, often called Zanzibar, sabre. The sword is of classic design, yet the D-Ring and handguard are missing. They seem to have been deliberately cut off at some point of the sword's life, yet not recently, as the edges of those pieces are as rusty as the other parts of the hilt. The blade is as usual, solidly peened to the hilt. The hilt material is clearly of wood, burned to look like some kind of horn. The crossguard and other hilt components seem to be of iron. The hilt is of almost certainly new manufacture.

The scabbard, is certainly newly made. A thin wooden core, covered with thick leather, stitched on one side. The leather has been painted with some sort of black paint to look old, but that paint is rubbing off.

The blade, is the strange part. As you can see, its tri-grooved, slightly curved, and is 28" long. The blade does bear a few small nicks on the edge, and some side scars, and is crudely polished. All throughout the blade there seems to be some hammer/forge marks, or could they be deep pitting?? If pitting, this would signify that this is an old blade which was recently polished and re-fitted. As to the quality of the blade, its seems to be of good manufacture. Its not that sharp, yet it has good flex, and seems to be pretty hard. Certainly a locally made blade.

Questions:

1. Have you seen any newly made Yemeni swords?
2. Could this be an older blade, with new fittings?
3. Is this a fully, newly made sword?

Sword in Scabbard:
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/2...61334pl.th.jpg

Sword in Scabbard (other side):
http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/3...61340sb.th.jpg

Full Blade:
http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/4...61359sr.th.jpg

Full Blade (other side):
http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/3...61401av.th.jpg

Lower Half of Sword:
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/571...61410ch.th.jpg

Upper Half of Sword:
http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/5...61424va.th.jpg

Upper hald of Sword (other side):
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/446...61449mq.th.jpg

Closeup of Forte:
http://x5.freeshare.us/112fs148612_th.jpg

Closeup of Forte (other side):
http://x5.freeshare.us/112fs148727_th.jpg

Closeup of Tip:
http://x5.freeshare.us/112fs148871_th.jpg

Closeup of Tip (other side):
http://x5.freeshare.us/112fs148975_th.jpg

I hate to say this but to me this is a little spooky. I do not think the hilt or guard and the blade, that is about the whole sword is all genuinely old. Something about the uncomfortable fit. I think in heart of hearts you already have your suspicions.

My suspicion is that this sword is fully new. Im certain that the hilt and scabbard are entirely new, but I have doubts about the blade. I have not heard of any modern blade production in Yemen, does it exist?

The sword is an old nimcha with the quillons cut or broken off. The hilt seems to be a later replacement. The blade seems old just polished out a bit much.

Lew