Omani Shamshir

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi TVV, This is a sword I bought 17 years ago on oriental-arms, where it was described as "most probably from the Arabian peninsula and one of the execution sword style". Then, I also read somewhere that when the pommel of the hilt is only "slightly" curved, the sword is from the south of the Arabian Peninsula and when it is sharply curved, it is from the north - but I'm not sure. So - is it FOR SURE it is comming from Oman, or from its sphere of influence?
I'm attaching old photos (I didn't take new ones).
Martin

[ASPaulding]

May I get your thoughts on mine to. I particularly curious about the age. I just got mine last weekend. Thank you

[TVV]

Martin, everything on your beautiful sword suggests an Oman/East Africa coast origin (these were also quite popular in the Comoros based on surviving photos). Thank you for sharing the detailed pictures.

ASPaulding, congratulations on your classic Persian shamshir with a wootz blade. I do not have the expertise to tell you whether this is an 18th or 19th century blade, but it is undoubtedly a nice antique sword.

Teo

[ariel]

Teodor,
Marvelous collection!
I have only one comment: if you include Zanzibari swords because Zanzibar was governed by Oman, you may still need to add a Baluch shamshir for completion.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...uchistan+sword
Baluchistan belonged to Oman for a long time and was sold to Pakistan only in the 1950s.
I remember we had a long and detailed discussion about Baluch shamshirs, but I could not find it and had to show just mine.
Persian blade, "Indian" pommel with classical Baluch ring and silver wire wrapping of the upper languet ( regretfully, no Omani knot).

[TVV]

Thank you Ariel. My interest is in African Islamic Arms, and so my emphasis is on Zanzibar and the Comoros, with Omani weapons included based on the huge Omani influence in this part of the world at the time. There were Baluchi warriors in East Africa, who probably brought their weapons with them, but the hard question is always where does one draw the line trying to stay within a specific collecting theme.

[A.alnakkas]

Indeed the connection to Baluchi made swords is quite strong. I've come across at least 4 of Omani shamshirs with obvious Baluch editions. The same can be seen with Baluch daggers which were in use in Oman and thus, had Omani editions. I tried uploading photos directly to the forum with pieces that can show case the similarities and editions but it did not work.

Will email them to Teo.

[TVV]

Here are the pictures I received from Lotfi of some really nice and interesting Omani (and 1 Baluchi) shamshirs with outside influences. I will let him make his comments on them.