Anglo-Arabic sword with unclear dedication

[Magey_McMage]

Hello, I hope everyone is doing well. A bit unsure where to place this sword, but as it is a European form, I feel this is the best place. Apologies for the photos, they were given to me by the current owner/seller and are all I have to work with.

Earlier this year I came across an unusual British pattern 1892 sword. Even without the mysteries below, it is in extremely good condition for the price I paid. It is mine as soon as I can arrange its shipping from NZ. So far, I have not gotten very far in the research.

Why is it unusual?

-The 1892 pattern was only in usage from 1892-1895 broadly. And since officers were not obliged to buy a new sword that utilized the same type of hilt, many did not. It is the least common pattern of sword. Off topic, but you actually see a larger amount of 1845-95s, in which officers who were obliged to upgrade the hilt simply rebladed their current sword and didn't even bother with changing to an 1897 hilt

-Both the blade and the guard have a customized Arabic script, identical on both. Custom etchings on blades are quite common, but I have seen relatively few customized brass guards. Variations for general officers and for other nations are observed, but as I will get into later, the plate here does not appear to be indicative of a specific unit affiliation or monarch.

-The sword or at least the final assembly was made by Pillin, but retailed by Hobson & Sons. The specific address was in usage from 1886-1901, which is within the bounds of the pattern. While some customized swords were purchased from tailoring outfitters such as Hawkes or Hamburger, Rogers & Co with strong military affiliation, it is unusual that one simultaneously not unusually fancy but is unusually different wrt a custom plate, appears to have been ordered from a tailoring outfitter instead of going directly to the cutler. I am unsure if Pillin ever had a storefront location like Wilkinson where well heeled individuals could get very custom things.

-At some point, someone with an engraver chiseled out "Translation: Huthmath, a servant of God"

What does the engraving even say?

That is the part I am trying to understand. After slowly bouncing around finding polite ways to ask people "does this look like Arabic to you?" without sounding racist, I ended up emailing my college professor of Islamic history. Turns out I had translated the date at the bottom wrong. The date is 1307 in the Hijri dating system. This roughly correlates to 1889-1890 in the Gregorian system.

So we can assume that the sword post-dates the reason the sword was commissioned.

According to my professor, most of the text translates to "Hamd Sa’id Ahmad bin al-A’ali (the highest)" and potentially something like 'shaykh,' as he was unable to fully translate it. According to him, the format of the naming is close to Omani naming conventions. As of my scant research, Faisal bin Turki bin Said Al Busaidi was the ruler of Oman at this time, taking control in 1888. I have had no luck finding anyone of the name on the guard and blade.

My questions or goal are to solve:

1. What is the 100% correct translation of the guard and blade
2. Who is the individual mentioned on the guard and blade
3. What or why is Huthmath?

Further more, even if I am able to find someone who can fully translate the text on the guard or the blade, I have found no sort of provenance. I am well and truly stumped here. If you have any suggestions or advice, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

[Peter Hudson]

Well well well!!!!, Yes its Arabic and likely to be of Omani provenance. I was in the Omani Army for 10 years and I can tell you that this sword is well worth looking at and researching ...Pillin is one of the better sword makers. The wording is peculiar and may just be a complete error, thus the english word TRANSLATION appears. You might get some sense out of The National Museum of Oman in Muscat... or even by contacting your Embassy and they might play ball and forward your request ...With a date mark on the blade plus the maker...are there any numbers on the blade on the back edge near the hilt ? Just a wild guess I would say a high ranking official purchased this ...in London... and it may be traced to either a high ranking Officer or dignatory of some stature...Either that or it could be some sort of gift from one country to another...ie to or from Oman who knows?
I am just about to get busy with pictures and research on British Infantry Officers Swords of the 19th C ...Please see British Infantry Officers Battle Swords in the 19th C...and up to 1914 this is essentially a variant of one of these... I would be delighted to see this placed on that thread in addition... Many thanks for showing this one to Forum.
Regards,
Peter Hudson.

Note; I agree that this sword probably joined the system in the Reign of Faisal the Ruler from 1888.

Faisal bin Turki
فيصل بن تركي
8 June 1864 –
5 October 1913 (aged 49)
Ruler from 4 June 1888
To. 5 October 1913
Son of Turki bin Said Busaid Faisal bin Turki

[Jim McDougall]

Excellent and well informed input Peter, as would be expected with your remarkable field experience in Oman, and I can see why this amazing sword piqued your interest. This is a fascinating example, and well presented by Magey with impressive research and background already set forward.

As already noted, there was a considerable network of cutlers and military outfitters in London that had evolved through the 19th century who often tailored officers weapons on the commissions placed. With Great Britain's profound colonial presence in various spheres, there were cases of some of these having outlet offices in locations in India, Egypt and in Arabia, where the British Protectorate was centered in Aden, if I understand correctly.

Wilkinson has been well known as having been most accommodating customers and clients with customized hilts and engraved blades, which in some cases were in other languages, though unusual. With the retailer/outfitter noted situated in London, it seems likely the present incarnation of the sword in entirety was also completed there.

The sword was apparently updated at some point with translation engraved by other than a sword outfitting location, so probably by a jeweler and for the owner at the time.

The hilt is of what is known as the 'Gothic' style, which was introduced actually in 1822( I believe) for infantry officers and of course in brass. The same pattern continued and was altered in 1845 (again if I recall) to add a folding inner guard portion. Magey has well researched this pattern evolution already, so mentions the intricacies of some of the nominal alterations in the style, which was superceded in 1897 by the sheet steel guard forms.
As noted, officers had a degree of latitude in their choice of weapons, especially those with long service who held to their traditions.

These 'gothic' style hilts were often made for other colonial interests by Wilkinson, with various emblems, cyphers and monograms as required for other countries and their militaries, so while unusual, not surprising to see a customized hilt made on request as seen here.

The overall character of the sword with these inscriptions in Arabic (but as noted apparently following Omani convention) suggests this sword may have been diplomatically oriented, and possibly of course related to the Aden based protectorate in Arabia. Naturally, the details of this situation are the somewhat perplexing conundrum of this outstanding sword, so I look forward to further research!

Thank you Magey for posting this, and Peter for your valuable input!!

[toaster5sqn]

Jim,
I believe you may have a detail backwards, it's my understanding that the folding guard was the standard option in 1822 with the stronger solid guard becoming standard in 1845. However the alternative was always an option in both cases so you can find examples of each over the entire service life of the gothic hilt.

Robert

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by toaster5sqn

Jim,
I believe you may have a detail backwards, it's my understanding that the folding guard was the standard option in 1822 with the stronger solid guard becoming standard in 1845. However the alternative was always an option in both cases so you can find examples of each over the entire service life of the gothic hilt.

Robert

Thank you for that correction Robert! I did indeed get it backwards not unusual more often these days I fear.