RSword Antique Blades

Indian Kirach Sword, 19th century, with extensive gold work to handle and scabbard. The blade with a very bold and active pattern weld.

18th century Indian Saber with lovely gold koftgari handle with delicate decorations and pommel in the shape of a Tiger or Lion head. Substantial damascus blade with very bold, active and complex Pattern Weld.

Indian shamshir with 19th century handle with application of thick gold leaf with floral patterns. The heavy and substantial blade is most likely Persian in origin and would date to the 17th or 18th century. It is forged of very fine wootz steel of a fine black color and active and consistent pattern. The blade with an inscription that reads Ya Ali and Jamal ad-din Hasan and an Umbrella marking that is often associated with royalty.

Indian Shamshir sword with wootz blade and gold chape. Large example with very fine wootz blade, overall, a sword of very good heft, and with a silk brocade scabbard with a solid gold chape.

Indian Sword with Segmented and U-Turn Fullers and wootz blade. Tulwar style handle with gold koftgari.

An early Indian Tegha sword with black wootz blade. Most likely 17th or 18th century. Tulwar style handle with silver koftgari in circle patterns.

Wide bladed Indian Tegha sword with wootz blade. Rare to find such a wide blade of wootz steel. Lovely segemented fullers and fine steel brace along the spine. Baskethilt style handle. A rare sword.

High quality Indian saber with nicely decorated Hindu basket hilt featuring gold koftgari, wootz panels and chiseled steel decorations and a Persian inspired wootz damascus blade with U-Turn fullers and lengthy inscription (heavily worn) on the spine.

Very finely chiseled Indian shamshir sword from Kutch. The handle and scabbard feature deeply chiseled brass in extensive floral designs. Also sports a unique pommel nut to the wheel pommel with matching decor on the scabbard. The blade is damascus.

A robust Indian sword with wide, straight blade that features a stamped cartouche that translates to “Alamgir Shahi 1115”. Alamgir was the regnal name of Aurangzeb, the last Mughal Emperor, and the title Alamgir Shahi was used for officers in his service. The year 1115 AH translates to circa 1703-4 AD. The Tulwar style handle with gold koftgari and unusual almost Chinese themed fish decor.

18th/19th century Indian saber with very large, wide blade. Tulwar style hilt covered in gold koftgari. Period scabbard with matching gold koftgari chape. Blade features a stamped cartouche with a trisula marking and a rubbed inscription that might read “Shri Mataji” or revered goddess.

17th century Indian Patissa Sword with fine wootz blade.

Very large, 41” overall, Indian Saber with Khanda Hilt and heavily gold decorated blade. The Khanda Hilt with wootz guard and gold koftgari decoration. The blade with gold decorated imagery. The blade is pattern welded and superbly made. A high quality Indian sword.

Early Indian Pata sword with a 17th Century German Blade. Blade is marked for Abraham Stamm and Soligen. This family was prominent in the late 16th to early 17th century.

18th/19th century Persian Shamshir with ladder pattern wootz blade. The handle with wootz crossguard and back strap and walrus ivory grips. The blade with bold and active pattern that features a ladder pattern.

Persian shamshir with wootz inscribed mounts and nice wootz blade.

Fabulous Persian Axe with Wootz Blade and Twistcore Steel Shaft. It is made of solid steel, not hollow shafts like so many late examples, and is a high quality axe. The blade with gold koftgari, chiseled Qajar style scenes and a blade of find Wootz Steel. The shaft is also equally well made with sections of twistcore steel, not unlike what you see on twistcore gun barrels, with spiral steel in between.

18th century Ottoman Shamshir Sword. The damascus blade forged of wootz steel with nice black coloration and very active and bold pattern. Features numerous cartouche in gold work along with lengthy inscription along the top of the blade near the spine. The inscriptions translate as follows: the quatrefoil cartouche reads “There is no hero but ‘Ali, no sword but Dhu’l-Fiqar”. The two oblong cartouches reads “O Requiter of Needs! O Provider of hidden graces”. In the oblong cartouches on the opposite side of the blade read “O Possessor of the Realms! Save us from perils!”. The long inscription along the spine are verses from a poem by Abu Tammam which reads “The sword is more truthful than books, In the hardness of its blade you find what separates the serious from game, The shine of (the blades of) swords, not the black ink of a book’s pages, That is what eliminates doubt and uncertainty”. Leather covered scabbard with steel mounts covered in gold koftgari. The reverse of the scabbard with unusual and rare triple stitching.

19th century Ottoman Pala Sword. The backstrap, cross guard, all scabbard mounts and the carrying rings all are silver and carry silver hallmarks and a stamped Tughra, unfortunately unidentified at this time. The scabbard covered in leather with fine stitching to the reverse. The damascus blade forged of wootz steel with extensive gold koftgari. The upper inscription reads “There is no hero but Ali, no sword but Dhu’l-Fiqar”. The long inscription along the spine is Qur’an 48:1-4. In the six pointed star is “What God wills” and the other inscription next to the grip is “O Opener of Doors, open for us the best of doors”.

18th century Ottoman shamshir sword. The tangband, cross guard, and all scabbard mounts are wootz steel. All with extensive gold koftgari. The damascus blade is forged of wootz steel. The pattern is bold and very active and looks to be a naturally forming ladder pattern. The scabbard is covered in polished and dyed green rayskin. This is most commonly found on Chinese swords. It is possible this sword was a dignitary gift to someone in China who had it covered in polished and dyed green rayskin.

18/19th century Ottoman shamshir sword most likely from the Balkans. Nice, large silver cross guard. The entire scabbard is covered in finely decorated silver. The damascus blade is forged of wootz steel. The pattern is bold and very active.

19th century Ottoman Pala. The sword comes with a gilt copper hilt and scabbard covered in hundreds of corals and turquoise. The reverse of the scabbard features geometric decoration with flowers and a picture of a building, probably a mosque. The blade is forge folded in a multi-row twistcore steel, sometimes referred to as Turkish Ribbon. There are several inscriptions in gold koftgari. Some untranslated as of now but on the right side is a rectangular cartouche saying “Hijri 0963”. The year 963 which would correspond to 1555-1556 AD. This is a symbolic date given that the sword and blade are 19th century.

Ottoman shamshir sword with ladder pattern wootz blade. Fine complete example. Leather covered scabbard with fine stitching to the reverse. Rhino horn handle. Fine dark wootz blade with distinctive ladder rungs.

Fine Ottoman Shamshir Sword with extensive gold and wootz blade. Cartouche translations

1st cartouche - “El Mukadderil Harb” or “El Ekr la Harb” meaning War of Fortune or Darkness of War or War of the sword is sharp and never gets stained

2nd cartouche - “Lam Mokhedellah” or “Lam Mokhellellah” meaning Why you declare war or Why do you stand against Allah

3rd cartouche - “Esga Seare Saghat” meaning disobedient people who ignite the fire of war

4th cartouche - “Sehkar Lefar” or “Mehkar Lear” which either means weak or scared warriors or warrior who runs away because of fear

5th cartouche - “Fare Heref” or “Fare Heraq” which either is Mouse Person or Coward warriors or Fire for the mouses/cowards

6th cartouche - “Igaf Lema” which means there is no stop (in war) or you shouldn’t stop (in war)

7th cartouche - “Lemuhad Igaf” which means don’t stop and don’t lose the war

8th cartouche - “Sene 1115” which means Year 1115 which is 1703 AD

The long inscription along the spine is “El Cerro Dem hina al fethko men amdolreda la gata a beyne ha mel hasud vel addu kem zel tevvabi. Men gusasen men e tedena el sauf en tegtenaha al sad hilafet mogar no maha veya en la tegte” which means Blood which is spilled willingly is deadly. Sometimes death is given willingly and there is no certainty in this. See that how scared people who are jealous to hur our created ones (God’s Creations) (This also means people who are jealous suffers in their lives). There is omens and regrets for a prayer while attacking with his sword (means think twice with attacking sword for if you are doing it for good or for bad). These people are the most saddest slaves of Allah. Don’t stop disobeying Khalifate for this.

Fine Ottoman Kilij with chiseled wootz blade and quality silver mounted scabbard. The blade with fine chiseling at the forte and superb wootz pattern. High quality silver mounts to the scabbard.

Japanese Katana Sword with NBTHK papers. Tang is signed Echizen Ju Hyuga No Daijo Fujiwara Sado Tsugu. Edo Period. Circa 1621-1644.

Thai Dha sword with silver inlaid blade and painted and inscribed handle. Ex Oded Shermister Collection.

Very rare, probably one of a kind, sword that is Japanese made but most likely for the Thai market possibly as a diplomatic gift or possibly for a Japanese living in Thailand. Elephant pommel with very long trunk with heavy cloud motif through the handle and scabbard. Crossguard is silver. There is a type of gilt finish, showing wear in areas of handling, to both the handle and the scabbard. Fine blade with straight hamon. Mid to late 19th century.

Extremely rare two handed sword with pamor blade. It measures 54" in total length. The style of pamor, the way the blade is mounted into the handle and the extension on the blade all have a very strong Balinese feel to them. This if the first such type of sword I have encountered.

Rare Belida sword from Flores Island in Indonesia. Sports a lovely twistcore blade. Thick spine. Handle composed of wood, ivory and pewter.

19th century African Moroccan Nimcha sword. Large handle with enameled gold ferrule. Crossguard with decorations in gold koftgari. Scabbard with green velvet and enameled gold mounts. Even the carrying rings are gold.

Moroccan Nimcha with Enamel Gold Mounts. Oral history stated this was gifted to an US Ambassador to Morocco.

19th century African Nimcha sword. Handle with enameled silver ferrule and crossguard decorated in gold koftgari. Blade with some talismanic markings. The scabbard completely cladded in quality silver with fine decorative workmanship.

Ethiopian Saif with Rhino Horn Handle and Scabbard with Belt. Features an English made blade dating to the period of King Edward VII and bearing the exporter name on the spine. A very fine and complete sword.

Late 19th to early 20th century African Sudanese Kaskara Sword. The sword features a two handed grip wrapped in leather. Wide thick crossguard. The blade is long and wide with unusual markings at the forte on each side of the blade.

18/19th century African Sudanese Kaskara Sword. Leather wrapped grip with nice wide crossguard. The blade has a very fine fuller and is most likely an European import. There is an inscription in the fuller on both sides. It is a poem from al-Busiri’s Qasidat al-Burda (Ode of the Mantle). The rough translation of the poem is “God’s protection has no need of reinforced armour or high fortresses. Whenever time tried to harm me and I sought refuge in Him, I received shelter from Him that could not be harmed”. There is also the name of the maker and it ends with Ibrahim Ahmad followed by a date that is 1202 which translates to 1787 or 1788.

18/19th century African Sudanese Kaskara Sword. Very nice crocodile skin wrapped grip with thick crossguard. Very nice blade, probably European, with snake imagery on one side in gold koftgari and an Arabic Inscription on the opposite side also in gold koftgari. The fullering on both sides contains very interesting symbology.

African Sudanese Kaskara sword with early European blade. The blade features an orb and cross which is an early German makers mark. Blade could be 16th to 18th century. Etched Arabic inscription panel on each side along with a deeply stamped half moon crescent. Also the rear half of a lion with long tail. Leather scabbard with nice stamped designs.

Late 19th to early 20th century African Kaskara sword. The grip, pommel and scabbard mounts are finely decorated silver. The blade is African made in the European style with wide central fuller. Leather scabbard with nice tool work and hanging belt.

Nice 19th century African Kaskara sword. Handle with leather wrapped grip and brass crossguard. The blade is very nice quality. It is wide with a long deep fuller and is likely European in manufacture. The blade has worn etched inscriptions in Arabic the full length of the blade. The etchings are a few notches above the typical etched full blade inscriptions you see in Mahdist swords.

African Sudanese kaskara sword with wide European blade

African Kaskara Sword with Early European Blade.

19th century African Tuareg Takouba Sword. The blade is a very early European blade and dates around the late 14th century. The blade is very well tempered as it vibrates like a tuning fork when you tap on the pommel.

19th century African sword pictured on p. 214, example 98, in the book “100 African Blades From 55 Collections” by Ethan Rider. Comments from the book: “This empute short sword is impressive without its sheath. It has a heavy pommel made of solid iron, a wood handle wrapped in copper and brass, and a blade that is covered with incredibly precise incising. Most empute blades have no sheath, and some of the few that do have one that is slim and plain. The most elaborate empute swords come with a sheath like this one seen here: oversized and decorated with two huge iron discs. This design element is entirely unique to empute swords and is a beautiful, highly distinctive style.” What he does not mention is the hole at the top of the scabbard. Perhaps a bullet hole? If this one could talk.

19th to early 20th century African sword of the Tikar tribe in Cameroon. Prestige sword with wood handle with cup shaped pommel. Blade with ribbing and widened tip. Prestige scabbard with cowrie shell decoration and fabric baldric.

Early 20th century African Sword of the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. Wood handle in elongated X shape. Ribbed blade with nice decorative symbols down the center. Scabbard is wrapped in reptile skin with nice pattern.

19th century African sword of the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. Wood handle with fine patina and knobby pommel. Scabbard is a very fine basket weave design with fabric baldric.

African sword of the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. The sword, late 19th to early 20th century, features an interesting wooden zoomorphic handle. It has 4 animal heads, most likely lizard or snake, with some metal tacks interspersed. The scabbard, probably mid 20th century, of basket weave and rattan design.

Early 20th century African sword of the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. Wood handle and ribbed blade with decoration at the forte. Nice scabbard with cowrie shell decoration and fabric baldric.

Mid 20th century African sword of the Tikar tribe of Cameroon. Nice scabbard with various rattan and basket weave decorations and baldric.

19th to early 20th century African sword of the Tikar tribe in Cameroon. Lovely ribbed handle with twin headed, or Janus, pommel. Narrow blade. Very nice scabbard with reptile skin cover and huge baldric.

African Cameroon Tikar Sword with Cowrie Shell Covered Scabbard.

17th century German Bearing sword with makers mark. It is almost 6 feet tall with velvet wrapped grip and large guard. The blade with fullers at the forte with a makers mark. I can't quite make out the name but it looks like William and then maybe Maldon but I don't find any information on that name. There are some additional marks on the blade that might help identify the origin of the blade.