This is one of the MOST unusual versions of 'nimcha' or Maghrebi sa'if I have seen!
It has a most ersatz, munitions grade characters which I would probably classify as very 'Saharan'. It is of combined elements of the Spanish military broadsword blade, an unusual guard which combines the general quillon system of the typical Moroccan/Algerian nimcha but with an atypically placed center block. Also the knuckle guard has an extended block to join with the most unusual cylindrical grip.
My speculation would be this was probably assembled in Saharan regions on the trade circuits between Algerian and Moroccan areas, and likely of the latter 19th early 20th c. It may well have been in 1920s if Morocco, or WWI period in Algerian regions near North Nigeria, Kaocen Revolt 1916.
These Spanish blades were well circulated into the Americas and of course likely the Spanish colonies in Morocco well through the 19th c. The 1728 designation of these 'dragoon' blades was extremely approximated and these were more well known on the military patterns of late 1760s + They were still seen on Spanish colonial swords into mid 19th c.
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