Nimcha: opinions and translations?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Clearly Moroccan. The three big signals are the stud on top of the pommel and the squared off right angle bend in the knuckle guard, thirdly is the upright way the pommel sits as opposed to pointing down slightly ....as does the Zanzibari variant...Your Nimcha has the unusual addition of a two prong guard that I see only rarely. There is another two pronger at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...9&page=2&pp=30

[ariel]

I think ( word of caution!) that there is a date on the spine:12( for sure) and then ....58 (???)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by ariel

I think ( word of caution!) that there is a date on the spine:12( for sure) and then ....58 (???)

We are this year 1437 in al Hijri...

[Kubur]

For me this blade is much much older than the 19th c.
It's a gorgeous example...

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

For me this blade is much much older than the 19th c.
It's a gorgeous example...

I think you may be right...but if we are going by the so called date on the back of the blade ...we need to know what that is... because it is not clear.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

I think you may be right...but if we are going by the so called date on the back of the blade ...we need to know what that is... because it is not clear.

yep
the date on the back is engraved, the inscription on the blade is chisled like the Seljuk or Mamluk blades in The arts of the Muslim knight. It's a Moroccan nimcha but an old one. The inscription on the back was probably added later.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Kubur

yep
the date on the back is engraved, the inscription on the blade is chisled like the Seljuk or Mamluk blades in The arts of the Muslim knight. It's a Moroccan nimcha but an old one. The inscription on the back was probably added later.

It is always very tenuous to place a date on a sword because many blades were switched from one hilt to another. dates became added...They assumed the realms of make believe occasionally. Notwithstanding the inscribed date what are the clues to age ? How old can the blade be? How much age is visible in the hilt? Half way down the Knuckle Guard there is a signature or date in a small button sized roundel.....what is that?
I add in retrospect that this is an interesting item. An aristocrats sword thus the addition of Gold work a Rhino hilt and the enamel work known as Champleve...on the stud on top of the Pommel and at the base ring. There is light overall wear suggesting to my eye 18th C.

Such a pity there is no Scabbard but no doubt that would have been richly decorated in similar style. The pitons or projections on the guard are intriguing and original not added according to the decorative style...The bite marks on the blade offer the suggestion of the blade being of Genoa ..I leave all suggestions wide open for comments..