Hi Martin. The inscription is taken indeed from the Coptic Bible and could be read as "Ethiopia asks for God's help", "Ethiopia reaches out to God", "Ethiopia holds its hands up to God". Liberal translations, but meaning the same thing. I understand Haile Selassie closed his speech to the League of Nation protesting the Italian invasion of his country with these words.
The catalogues of Julius Voos and Eickhorn (both from Solingen) and of Wilkinson show that the blades, even the more fancy ones, were supplied without hilt and scabbard. I believe the hilt (mounted BACKWARD) is either a replacement or it was mounted at the factory on the "salesman sample" to better handle the blade. Fantastic piece, regardless.
Do you happen to have pictures of the shotels you refer too?
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