I avoided getting a Nimcha for the longest of times. I finally did it, and got a more naval size blade (European import most likely) and a wooden grip. Boy do they feel good in the hand. That notch for the small finger gives it a unique control. You use a sabre like grip, but your hand feels secured holding it. I am still avoiding non-European swords to avoid diluting my collection focus, but Nimchas are pretty unique. I'm now happy I got one.
that early modern Chinese short sword is very similar to the Artillery swords / Cabbage chopper . . . . of Europe at the same time probably has a European made blade as well
The second nimcha is simply a different sword type altogether, although they are related. The first is from Morocco or Algeria and the other is from Zanzibar or Oman. The peen block represents a turtle. That type of blade is a typical style for the Arabian peninsula. I have one with a straight blade and it's one of my favorite swords to hold. That grip is super comfortable with my leather glove on.
If im not mistaken in India many of their blades were scarf welded in sections like that from the outset. Especially when it came to really long blades like the Khanda. I pretty sure Matt over at Scholagladitoria has talked about it b4 as well.
Btw i would suspect that little hanger belonged to a Freemason. I recognize the symbols etc on the blade as being similar to others ive seen in hanging in masonic halls here in the USA.
Very nice. When it comes to melee weapons another reason we Americans much prefer(ed) the tomahawk & the large bowie knife to things like the sword is that the shorter weapons fit our hit & run tactics better. I myself am half native & many of the people at the time were at least either part native or lived in close enough proximity that the native fighting styles "rubbed off on us". Plus we just had more tomahawks & large knives available. Cheers!
It's interesting how pretty much every culture on earth has at one point two kind of straight sword (edge-dependent) and two types of curved sword (one for each direction)
I haven't seen any production copies but it's not uncommon for aight stamp to be missing or for it to be a non standard officers piece of the same style.
Interesting that the ears on the backstrap are the full D rather than the thin tab style on mine. Do you think this is a troopers version as Dellar suggests?
Basically an africanized roman spatha, which considering their roots as an Orthodox Christian/Catholic nation & their trade in goods as well as cultural ideas it doesn't surprise me at all.
Mine was delivered by "Galt & Son, Naval & Regimental taylors, Portsmouth", with a transitional blade putting it at 1844-45. Those early ones are so beautiful.
