Hi Stephen,
Thanks for the additional info and photos of the gun with this name. It would seem that this Zaoue name must have been a supply firm, and well into the 19th century. These sa'if (Moroccan nimcha) apparantly have quite a long standing history in both the Maghreb and in Yemen where these loop ring guard examples are believed from Zanzibar production.
If not mistaken, the circular cartouche at the forte nearest the blade edge must have been an acceptance stamp of some kind, as they are seen in a number of examples with varying information and symbols enclosed.
Marseilles was but one of the huge networks of trade through the Meditteranean and especially by this time in the 19th century. Naturally the French colonies in North Africa accounted for the huge volume of French weapons and trade items that became part of this cultural sphere.
All best regards,
Jim
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