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Originally Posted by ariel
As to the re-profiling European blades in Morocco since 1920:
Years ago I visited Versailles, and saw a big oil picture of a battle between the French and the Berbers. One Berber warrior ( AFAIR, semirecunbent, right lower corner) was holding a sword that was exactly like the infamous " Berber" one , even with a "reverse" point.
I did not make a picture of it or the artist's name/ date. Stupid of me.....
Perhaps, one of the Forumites plans to go to France or one of the native French Forumites happens to visit Versaiiles. Please look for that big oil and get the info. Would be very helpful and will answer a lot of questions.
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I would have loved to see this painting......it is always great to have some illustration of the swords we study in context of their use.
These swords (so called 'Berber') were not reprofiled in Morocco, they were brought there by conscripts and forces from Caribbean regions to handle insurgences in the Spanish colonies there. It has always been interesting to see the 'vintage' British blades which ended up in these Central and South American contexts from mid to latter 19th c.
As previously noted, the 'Spanish Main' was quite the conduit for the diffusion of these elements and influences in these times.