Nimcha (Saber) with Scabbard

Unknown

hilt and scabbard, late 17th or early 18th century; blade 16th or 17th century · Steel, silver, copper, wood, tortoiseshell, horn, mother-of-pearl, leather, textile · Arms and Armor

This distinctly North African sword, or nimcha, probably dates from around the battle of Oran (1732), when that city, a haven for Turkish pirates, was besieged by the Spanish. The openwork leather scabbard shows Ottoman influence.

Artist

Unknown

Date

hilt and scabbard, late 17th or early 18th century; blade 16th or 17th century

Medium

Steel, silver, copper, wood, tortoiseshell, horn, mother-of-pearl, leather, textile

Culture

hilt and scabbard, Algerian; blade, European

Department

Arms and Armor

Credit line

Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935