Saif, Moroccan saif, sife, nimcha, nimsha

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by TVV

Dating is always tricky, especially when it comes to European blades on North African hilts. On top of that, European marks were copied locally, and given the combination of marks on yours Yuri, it looks like most of them were applied in Morocco.

The blade on the hussar saber is of an older form, wider at the base, then narrower and then with a yelman at the tip. Yours on the other hand is much more in line with European 19th century patterns.

Completely in accord, and Teodor IMO few people know 'nimchas' as you do.
As noted, European marks were copied profusely, and often added to the European blades already filtering into North African entrepots. In my view these were added to add imbued talismanic or other 'magic' properties to the blade, not any effort to purport certain European makers made the blades.

Clearly English was not the first language of the inscriber, and the ANDREA FERARA blades were known in circulation among trade blades in the networks. Often other marks were added in the same convention, adding further magical support likely along with other familiar European marks, the sickle often seen for example.

I found this mysterious oval mark with the four appendages in Wallace Coll. (p.274) as found on a German blade c. 1560s-1600 in this case bracketed by these dentated arcs (sickle). It is my impression that this is a lesser known mark likely Italian that ended up being spuriously used much as the sickle, twig etc. were used in Styria and Germany. (attached)

Also added the hussar saber with late 17th c blade (prb. Styrian) from discussion on European forum, and with this curious oval mark.