Barbary corsairs/swords

fernando · 26th July 2008, 06:12 PM

Clandestine pictures taken at the Lisbon Military Museum.
The text in the tag mentions that this nimcha (?) was the sword prefered by Moroccan pirates of the XIX century. These are not the right words, but such was the sense.
Fernando

Rick · 26th July 2008, 06:43 PM

How interesting !

A Parang Nabur .

These swords seem to have gotten around .

M ELEY · 27th July 2008, 02:03 AM

Hmmm. Well, of course, the Malay pirates were second to none for their activities that span to the present day. But Berber Corsairs carrying these? Again, I guess through trade routes such would be possible, but typical?

fernando · 27th July 2008, 09:56 AM

Well, it would not be the first time museums give bizarre info on things

. For a start, they call it a nimcha, which (even) i know is not correct.
The tag text for a nimcha is probably right, and so must be the preponderance of the parang for the Malay pirates, so only the conjugation of both being wrong

M ELEY · 27th July 2008, 05:36 PM

It's an awesome sword, none the less. Thanks for posting it, Fernando! Anything 'pirate' catches my attention. I particularly like the fittings, they are gold or gold-leaf?

fernando · 27th July 2008, 07:32 PM

Hi Mark,
With a patient observation of the tag text in three of the pictures, that i had cut off to concentrate on the sword images editing, i think i managed to read it. Here is a crude translation:

ARABIAN SABRE OF THE "Nimcha" TYPE.
Origin: Northwest of Africa, possibly Morocco.
Period: XVIII-XIX century.
Total length: 74 cms.
Blade of one only edge, widening at the point, with very deep gutters.
Handle of wood, with a pistol grip shape, with spur hand guard in brass.
It was the type of weapon prefered by the pirates that used to rapine the ships along the African coast.

I understand your question about the fittings being gold or golden, though.
That brass happens to have a rather high polished finishing.

Fernando

26th July 2008, 06:12 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Clandestine pictures taken at the Lisbon Military Museum. The text in the tag mentions that this nimcha (?) was the sword prefered by Moroccan pirates of the XIX century. These are not the right words, but such was the sense. Fernando Attached Images

26th July 2008, 06:43 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	How interesting ! A Parang Nabur . These swords seem to have gotten around . Attached Images Last edited by Rick; 26th July 2008 at 07:00 PM.

27th July 2008, 07:32 PM	#6
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Mark, With a patient observation of the tag text in three of the pictures, that i had cut off to concentrate on the sword images editing, i think i managed to read it. Here is a crude translation: ARABIAN SABRE OF THE "Nimcha" TYPE. Origin: Northwest of Africa, possibly Morocco. Period: XVIII-XIX century. Total length: 74 cms. Blade of one only edge, widening at the point, with very deep gutters. Handle of wood, with a pistol grip shape, with spur hand guard in brass. It was the type of weapon prefered by the pirates that used to rapine the ships along the African coast. I understand your question about the fittings being gold or golden, though. That brass happens to have a rather high polished finishing. Fernando Attached Images

27th July 2008, 02:03 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Hmmm. Well, of course, the Malay pirates were second to none for their activities that span to the present day. But Berber Corsairs carrying these? Again, I guess through trade routes such would be possible, but typical?

27th July 2008, 09:56 AM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Well, it would not be the first time museums give bizarre info on things . For a start, they call it a nimcha, which (even) i know is not correct. The tag text for a nimcha is probably right, and so must be the preponderance of the parang for the Malay pirates, so only the conjugation of both being wrong

27th July 2008, 05:36 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	It's an awesome sword, none the less. Thanks for posting it, Fernando! Anything 'pirate' catches my attention. I particularly like the fittings, they are gold or gold-leaf?