Hello,
Here is the promised wonder
What say you to this quadri-concave beauty? "A rare example of a storta, Italian (Venice), c. 1490...The antecedents of the storta can be found in the medieval falchion and the single-edged sabres carried...by nomadic warriors from the Eastern steppes." (p.48 Swords and Hilt Weapons, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London 1989)
It was found mainly in Italy and France. I'd say this qualifies as the scimitar of old. This Venician piece could be taken rather as a derivative of Islamic examples due to the city's trade networks, than a development from the falchion, I think. Odd that 15th century Europe still preferred thrusting weapons to slashing. The cavalry of most western European countries was still mainly equiped with lances at this time wasn't it?
A pitty there are so few extant examples of this sabre type, it's magnificent!
Best regards,
Emanuel