Nimcha markings

Jim McDougall · 1st October 2019, 08:53 PM

The subject of markings on the swords of North Africa, from kaskara and takouba as well as these sa'if commonly termed 'nimcha' is wrought with debate and speculation. While we know huge volumes of European blades entered these spheres and trade networks for virtually centuries, it is known that native armorers became skilled in producing blades as well.

In the case of these triple fuller single edge sabre blades it appears these are a Solingen type which was produced from around mid 18th c. well into 19th. While as noted, native armorers could produce blades, the availability of incoming trade blades was such it became unnecessary.

This example is indeed 'classic' as it is among possibly hundreds of the exact form and uncertain of how often I have seen these markings in similar configuration. The markings themselves are replications of some seen on both German and Spanish blades. The crosses are sometimes seen on koummya blades and resemble old Spanish types. The moon is an almost fanciful rendition of the magic/talismanic astral types seen on European blades.

It seems that there must have been certain entrepots in North Africa which applied these kinds of markings copying European ones onto the blades which came in as trade materials, From there they went to trade clients and into the networks.

These nimchas seem to date mid 19th into early 20th c. and as noted exist in some volume with certain variants of markings on blades. Briggs (1965) shows an example of one blade with variant markings.

1st October 2019, 08:53 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,801	The subject of markings on the swords of North Africa, from kaskara and takouba as well as these sa'if commonly termed 'nimcha' is wrought with debate and speculation. While we know huge volumes of European blades entered these spheres and trade networks for virtually centuries, it is known that native armorers became skilled in producing blades as well. In the case of these triple fuller single edge sabre blades it appears these are a Solingen type which was produced from around mid 18th c. well into 19th. While as noted, native armorers could produce blades, the availability of incoming trade blades was such it became unnecessary. This example is indeed 'classic' as it is among possibly hundreds of the exact form and uncertain of how often I have seen these markings in similar configuration. The markings themselves are replications of some seen on both German and Spanish blades. The crosses are sometimes seen on koummya blades and resemble old Spanish types. The moon is an almost fanciful rendition of the magic/talismanic astral types seen on European blades. It seems that there must have been certain entrepots in North Africa which applied these kinds of markings copying European ones onto the blades which came in as trade materials, From there they went to trade clients and into the networks. These nimchas seem to date mid 19th into early 20th c. and as noted exist in some volume with certain variants of markings on blades. Briggs (1965) shows an example of one blade with variant markings.