Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

TVV · 13th December 2025, 07:10 PM

I agree that the scroll holder must have been adopted relevantly recently. This of course calls into some question the entire sword.

On the other hand, the guard is well made, and the blade is consistent, at least as far as the markings go, with the sword shown in Lefebvre's illustration of Abyssinian arms from 1845, as published in Spring. That sword has a silver hilt too. If the guard and blade are original to each other (when they were put together in East Africa, obviously the blade is originally European), there is a possibility that the original silver hilt was lost, and whoever restored it improvised.

I have to admit, the result is aesthetically pleasing, even if not historical.

13th December 2025, 07:10 PM	#6
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,737	I agree that the scroll holder must have been adopted relevantly recently. This of course calls into some question the entire sword. On the other hand, the guard is well made, and the blade is consistent, at least as far as the markings go, with the sword shown in Lefebvre's illustration of Abyssinian arms from 1845, as published in Spring. That sword has a silver hilt too. If the guard and blade are original to each other (when they were put together in East Africa, obviously the blade is originally European), there is a possibility that the original silver hilt was lost, and whoever restored it improvised. I have to admit, the result is aesthetically pleasing, even if not historical.