Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Damascus Saber for appreciation / Sable de Damasco para apreciación

Jim McDougall · 2nd April 2012, 08:23 PM

Fernando, thank you for the vote of confidence my friend!

Actually, I believe Spiral is correct and that there was a type of Damascus imitation going on by the latter 19th century. I think in Russia it was called 'bulat', but cant recall offhand (I think its discussed in Figiel, and some of the others). Solingen by the end of the 19th and well into the 20th was heavily supplying Mexico, Central and South America with edged weapons so this extremely handsome example is understandably well represented.
I prefer not to use the term 'fake' for this type of Damascus, as it is an example of European interpretation in thier efforts to produce this elusive and mysterious steel whose secrets were long hidden with the heritage of the Middle and Near East, Central Asia and India.

2nd April 2012, 08:23 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,758	Fernando, thank you for the vote of confidence my friend! Actually, I believe Spiral is correct and that there was a type of Damascus imitation going on by the latter 19th century. I think in Russia it was called 'bulat', but cant recall offhand (I think its discussed in Figiel, and some of the others). Solingen by the end of the 19th and well into the 20th was heavily supplying Mexico, Central and South America with edged weapons so this extremely handsome example is understandably well represented. I prefer not to use the term 'fake' for this type of Damascus, as it is an example of European interpretation in thier efforts to produce this elusive and mysterious steel whose secrets were long hidden with the heritage of the Middle and Near East, Central Asia and India.