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Old 1st September 2010, 02:41 AM   #6
Jim McDougall
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
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Looks like a well worn Bedouin sabre with the typical Syrian hilt style, the blade ? ...according to Robert Elgood (citing Burton, 1855) it is noted on p.22 ("The Arms and Armour of Arabia") that;
"...the shintayan is the common sword blade of the Badawin, in Western Arabia; it is called Majar (from the Magyars?) and is said to be of German manufacture".
Elgood notes that these were distinctive blades, often with an etched hussar, and popular from the Caucusus to South Arabia. These were usually regarded as Hungarian, though typically Solingen produced to meet demands, and known to have been Daghestani made as well. These were based on 18th to 19th century cavalry sabre blades.

One of my earliest collected sabres was presented as an 18th c. Hungarian hussars sabre, and had similar etched motto (not Eisenhauer) on the blade, while the hilt was of Ottoman pistol grip type. The quillons were remarkably stubby as I recall. It was not until years later that I learned this was actually a Bedouin sabre and of the 19th century. I later saw a number of sabres with Syrian hilts and Hungarian inscribed blades being hawked again as Hungarian 'patriotic sabres'. ...again clearly Arab swords.

In my impression this is a Solingen trade blade, and the Eisenhauer being a quality term as discussed, probably in the 19th century period, I do not recall seeing this term on the other sabres I described.

All best regards,
Jim
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