Thanks Stu, for the clarification on that blade issue. I must admit that the idea of straightening or curving these blades was kind of an issue for me....the big question......why? As seen with the karabela hilt (usually with short blade curved) it was no issue to mount with a long broadsword blade.
On many Algerian nimchas you will see them mounted with full size straight blades often and varying with backsword and broadsword blades....and it seems the apparent indifference carries throughout these regions.
On the MK with Star of Solomon surround, it was once suggested that this was connected to the Wilkinson swords often exported to Abyssinia, however that is only a superficial assumption as the Star was like the Lion of Judah, part of Ethiopian symbolism of the times.
Absolutely right, Wilkinson indeed sent many blades to Ethiopia toward the end of the century, in fact into the 1930s (I have one of the catalogues), but these were marked. The unmarked were likely their subcontractors but hard to say. In the case of Solingen, they were known to produce 'blanks' as the overbuilding of the industry during the Franco-Prussian war created huge competition for business as the war ended as did demand.
Whatever the case, the volume of blades into the Red Sea trade, as well as many entrepots in North Africa, East Africa and Arabia built huge stockpiles of blades.
Excellent examples....I really like these swords!!!!
