A Fine Nimcha Saif
A Fine Nimcha Saif
Fés or Meknés, Kingdom of Morocco
Ca. 1880 - 1900
Steel, rhinoceros horn, iron, gold, enamel, silver
Blade: 75,6cm
Hilt & Blade: 92,1cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number: 255
A fine saif from the Kingdom of Morocco. The blade is of European manufacture, likely French, single-edged curved steel with a broad fuller. False edge for the last 3/4 of the blade. Iron crossguard decorated in gold overlay of flowers and scrolls with an enameled silver ferrule collar. About 80% of the gold is intact with minor losses. Massive rhinoceros horn carved knock hilt with clear blonde fibrous structure. An attractive North African sword.
Very similar examples produced in Fés or Meknés dated between 1890 and 1900.
Photo 6: Le Caid Marocain Tahami, 1883, by Jean Joseph Benjamin (1845 - 1902).
Photo7: Moulay Abd- Er- Ahman (Sultan of Morocco), 1845, by Eugéne Delacroix ( 1798 - 1863).
Claude, Eric. 2020. “The Small Catalog of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons”. Pages 120, 122 - 123
Pinchot, Oliver S. 2014. “Arms of the Paladins”. Page 80. Cat. 4 - 53
Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”.Pages 24 (Info.)
Hales, Robert. 2013. "Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour". Page 244. No. 603
https://collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-1653.html
https://www.rswordantiqueblades.com/new-index#/new-gallery-89/