Old Nimcha for Info and to share

JoeCanada42 · 30th January 2021, 01:03 AM

additional photo

TVV · 2nd February 2021, 06:01 AM

Congratulations on your sword, it is Moroccan from the 19th century. The hilt looks bovine from the pictures.

Kubur · 2nd February 2021, 02:09 PM

If I put a torch behind my ears, I'm a rhino...

JoeCanada42 · 2nd February 2021, 06:28 PM

Thanks TVV, it probably is bovine, would be cool to know which species if possible, I read a little on some other threads, either way its not real rhino,
but, Kubur is right lol

could it be artistic design or just chance that the supposed horn part of the handles form is translucent, and by chance that there is a second horn, maybe the handle shrunk.

either way I really like it , the color and shape, and phenomenon

And the symbols! on the blade, on one side, in the center is a squiggle. wich i think i could have found 1 or 2 interpretations in berber/ amazigh for.
and the symbol on the case is similar to a couple berber symbols also.

JoeCanada42 · 2nd February 2021, 06:38 PM

Could the blade also be locally forged in the Maghreb/ morocco, or an imported blade?
the fullers look wonky...

and the quillon is definitely the most primitive ive seen on a nimcha, gots a cool look though.

JoeCanada42 · 15th February 2021, 04:06 PM

has anyone ever seen one of the nimchas made en mass for the siege of Malta?
this sword seems made more for function than for show like some fancy adorned nimchas.

i also get the interpretation the symbols on this blade , were put there to imbue it with functional properties, not as a stasus symbol or decoration.

i figure this squiggly line is for cutting,
the other symbol on opposite side of blade for puncturing /thrusting,
and the scabbard symbol for protection.

how does one date this sword? forgive me i am typing this response and didn't take note of who, but someone said 19C . sounds fair enough but how was this determined I am curious?

Thanks for any input

TVV · 15th February 2021, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeCanada42

has anyone ever seen one of the nimchas made en mass for the siege of Malta?

how does one date this sword? forgive me i am typing this response and didn't take note of who, but someone said 19C . sounds fair enough but how was this determined I am curious?

Thanks for any input

The nimcha as a form does not seem to have existed prior to the 16th century, and we are talking late 16th century at best. The nimchas with good provenance that exist in museum collections were captured from Barbary pirates in the mid 17th century, and some as late as the 18th century. There is one nimcha of very high quality in the Hofburg armory in Vienna that Eric Claude has dated to the 16th century, though no reasoning for that dating is provided other than the blade is an old European broadsword blade. Another nimcha in the same museum is a better studied form from the 17th/18th centuries, and I suspect both may date from that period. If someone knows of an earlier example, I would love to see it. The reason I am typing all this is to show that there may not have been many, or any nimchas during the siege of Malta in 1565.

When it comes to dating swords, in the absence of a strong provenance or a date on the blade or the fittings, the only option is to do it by comparing the features of the sword to other examples. This is where the forum search function can be extremely helpful.

Kubur · 15th February 2021, 06:18 PM

I agree 100% with the above

And I will add that no elements on your sword can support an early date, 18th or 17th c. So your sword must be late 19th c or even early 20th c.

Your quillons are a bit flat and crude, not the typical water drops from the 19thc.

So either your sword is Berber tribal 19th c. or it's a basic nimcha from the early 20th c.

I vote for the tribal nimcha with local engravings on the blade.

30th January 2021, 01:03 AM	#1
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	additional photo Attached Images

15th February 2021, 04:06 PM	#6
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	has anyone ever seen one of the nimchas made en mass for the siege of Malta? this sword seems made more for function than for show like some fancy adorned nimchas. i also get the interpretation the symbols on this blade , were put there to imbue it with functional properties, not as a stasus symbol or decoration. i figure this squiggly line is for cutting, the other symbol on opposite side of blade for puncturing /thrusting, and the scabbard symbol for protection. how does one date this sword? forgive me i am typing this response and didn't take note of who, but someone said 19C . sounds fair enough but how was this determined I am curious? Thanks for any input Attached Images

2nd February 2021, 06:01 AM	#2
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,601	Congratulations on your sword, it is Moroccan from the 19th century. The hilt looks bovine from the pictures.

2nd February 2021, 02:09 PM	#3
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	If I put a torch behind my ears, I'm a rhino...

2nd February 2021, 06:28 PM	#4
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	Thanks TVV, it probably is bovine, would be cool to know which species if possible, I read a little on some other threads, either way its not real rhino, but, Kubur is right lol could it be artistic design or just chance that the supposed horn part of the handles form is translucent, and by chance that there is a second horn, maybe the handle shrunk. either way I really like it , the color and shape, and phenomenon And the symbols! on the blade, on one side, in the center is a squiggle. wich i think i could have found 1 or 2 interpretations in berber/ amazigh for. and the symbol on the case is similar to a couple berber symbols also.

2nd February 2021, 06:38 PM	#5
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	Could the blade also be locally forged in the Maghreb/ morocco, or an imported blade? the fullers look wonky... and the quillon is definitely the most primitive ive seen on a nimcha, gots a cool look though.

15th February 2021, 06:18 PM	#8
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	I agree 100% with the above And I will add that no elements on your sword can support an early date, 18th or 17th c. So your sword must be late 19th c or even early 20th c. Your quillons are a bit flat and crude, not the typical water drops from the 19thc. So either your sword is Berber tribal 19th c. or it's a basic nimcha from the early 20th c. I vote for the tribal nimcha with local engravings on the blade.