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Maghreb : Nimcha de prise 1676 NIMCHA
Ceylan Péninsule arabe Zanzibar Maghreb Espagne Galerie

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Nimcha d'exception exposée au Musée National Maritime (Londres), prise en 1676 en Méditerranée (Turquie) à un corsaire algérien.
Outre la qualité de l'arme, on remarque:
  • la forme spatulée en cimeterre vers la pointe
  • la garde en bronze avec un arc de jointure légèrement concave vers l'extérieur
  • la forme de la poignée plaquée d'argent travaillé et dont la crosse se termine en mufle ouvert
Lame: 692 x 29 mm
 
Extrait de la présentation du Nimcha (National Maritime Museum, London)
This maghreb Nimcha belonged to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn (1642-1717). The hilt consists of a brass knuckle-guard formed by a long curved, down turned quillon. The opposite quillon ends short and is turned up. The grip is horn which is covered with chased silver-plating originally having two rubies or other jewels mounted near the pommel. The flat-backed steel blade is slightly curved with a hatchet point and two deep grooves. Family tradition has it that Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn ,when Lieutenant about 1670, boarded a Turkish ship and the Captain of that vessel was in the act of cutting him down when he arrested the stroke, wrenched the sabre from his opponent's hand and slew him with his own weapon'. It was probably an Algerian corsair and Hopsonn was a First Lieutenant on the 'Dragon' in the Mediterranean about 1676 ."