Morrocan sboula

TVV · 12th March 2020, 08:17 PM

Nice sboula Yvain, and some pretty good observations. If you search the forum you will find blades with similar letters that do not make sense or symbols that resemble European letters. My guess is that those were placed locally, in order to imitate markings on earlier European blades. The gurda marks may be original to the blade or may have been placed later locally as well, hard for me to tell.

As for dating, based on the one photograph we have of a Moroccan wearing one and based on the fact that they were around when Buttin was in Morocco in the early 20th century, they were certainly in use in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A 19th century date for when yours was made is therefore a good guess.

Regards,
Teodor

Yvain · 13th March 2020, 12:40 PM

Thank you for those informations Teodor ! I hoped it was an old one but I wasn't really sure.

Do we have any idea why those european markings were being copied ? Did it gave the blade more monetary value, or did it have some symbolic fuction ?

TVV · 13th March 2020, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvain

Thank you for those informations Teodor ! I hoped it was an old one but I wasn't really sure.

Do we have any idea why those european markings were being copied ? Did it gave the blade more monetary value, or did it have some symbolic fuction ?

Native copies of European markings is a big topic. The short answer is that European markings became popular in various places around the world where European blades were exported to, and were later copied locally in an effort to signify quality.

Kubur · 13th March 2020, 06:36 PM

Teodor is right it's an end of 19th c. sboula, what i call a "poor man" sboula, very simple.

But the blade is good, I wonder if it's an old sword cut and reused.

About the inscription I agree it's a pseudo European script, some people think that it could be some berber script, but I can't recognize any letters...

https://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/natlang/.../tifinagh.html

Your sboula is Moroccan.

Yvain · 13th March 2020, 11:00 PM

Thanks !

Indeed, I think the blade is a cutdown european saber, and I'm pretty sure that the pseudo-european marking doesn't have any meaning and is just imitative.

Yvain · 15th March 2020, 07:05 PM

[Seems like my previous message didn't posted, sorry about that !]

Thanks,

I'm pretty sure it is indeed a reprofiled european saber blade. As for the inscription, I don't think it has any meaning either.

12th March 2020, 08:17 PM	#1
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,664	Nice sboula Yvain, and some pretty good observations. If you search the forum you will find blades with similar letters that do not make sense or symbols that resemble European letters. My guess is that those were placed locally, in order to imitate markings on earlier European blades. The gurda marks may be original to the blade or may have been placed later locally as well, hard for me to tell. As for dating, based on the one photograph we have of a Moroccan wearing one and based on the fact that they were around when Buttin was in Morocco in the early 20th century, they were certainly in use in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A 19th century date for when yours was made is therefore a good guess. Regards, Teodor

13th March 2020, 12:40 PM	#2
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 179	Thank you for those informations Teodor ! I hoped it was an old one but I wasn't really sure. Do we have any idea why those european markings were being copied ? Did it gave the blade more monetary value, or did it have some symbolic fuction ?

13th March 2020, 06:36 PM	#4
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Teodor is right it's an end of 19th c. sboula, what i call a "poor man" sboula, very simple. But the blade is good, I wonder if it's an old sword cut and reused. About the inscription I agree it's a pseudo European script, some people think that it could be some berber script, but I can't recognize any letters... https://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/natlang/.../tifinagh.html Your sboula is Moroccan.

13th March 2020, 11:00 PM	#5
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 179	Thanks ! Indeed, I think the blade is a cutdown european saber, and I'm pretty sure that the pseudo-european marking doesn't have any meaning and is just imitative.

15th March 2020, 07:05 PM	#6
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 179	[Seems like my previous message didn't posted, sorry about that !] Thanks, I'm pretty sure it is indeed a reprofiled european saber blade. As for the inscription, I don't think it has any meaning either.