# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Middle-East, India & Africa (MEIA) >  One of Quadaffi's Personal Shamshir

## Vic Diehl

Quadaffi has his personal collection of presentation swords on display at the Red Palace in Tripoli, so I snapped a few pics. Here is one, as expected they are all over the top.

----------


## Sander Alsters

Haha indeed over the top! I wonder what is going to happen over there, on the other hand, maybe not the right forum to discuss politics. Just hope the swords will stay intact though!

Thanx for the 'Very Bright' pictures. The light is reflecting in my eyes because of all the diamonds ^^

----------


## Gene Wilkinson

Oooh, Topical!

Its a bit gauche, sudden, over the top, bright, Ummm hideous!
Perhaps thats why he always wears those raybans?

Is there an interesting story behind your visit Vic?

----------


## Vic Diehl

Gene, I had family working at the US Embassy there and I met with Libyan officials here in the US and got a tourist visa, my son is law said it was the first one since 1969. Some tour groups has gone to sites along the coast but none are allowed to wonder around. Anyway i spent a couple of months just wondering all over the country with some Pakistani teenagers ;-). whose parents worked for expats. I felt perfectly safe as there were police everywhere in the cities. 5 different kinds of police all wearing different uniforms. Then military sites. I saw some of Quadaffi's personal female guard, I would have been happy for them to be my guard anytime! They wore blue camo uniforms, with baret and bright blue combat boots. Of course the AK 47 hanging across their chest. All of them real lookers!

When I went to see Quadaffi's swords I did go through the wrong door and ended up getting lost at the top of his palace. I was not lost long as am armed guard gave me a quick escort down stairs and to the correct door. Polite the entire time. Of course always checking your passport.

So I spend days in the old caravan shops in Tripoli, traveled south to the ancient Berber settlements at the top of the Sahara. I spent time in Benghazi and then pushed east to Tobruk. Never will forget it we were in a driving sand storm and could hardly see the road. 

I also did a lot of ancient Roman ruin visits, Sabratha, Leptis Magna and ove in the Greek area around Benghazi. 

I have a million stories, but enough for now, I did eat a lot of camel !

http://www.panoramio.com/user/924521

Here is my Google Earth photo site and I have some Libyan pics attached if you are interested. Some PICs of the Lady Be Bood as well.

Vic

----------


## A. Alnakas

"The awaited leader of the arabs"

Hah, this clown of a leader never seized to amuse me. Thanks for the picture mate.

----------


## Vic Diehl

one

----------


## Vic Diehl

two

----------


## Vic Diehl

I try to go to as many places as I can to examine Eastern Swords. These few are Egypt

----------


## Vic Diehl

Nice Turkish hilt

----------


## Vic Diehl

Interesting piece

----------


## Vic Diehl

Couple of sparklers

----------


## Vic Diehl

Mubarak's treasure room is filled not only with weapons, but gifts from every American President during his reign. Gold, silver. crystal you name it. This book stood out.

----------


## Gene Wilkinson

Great pictures and great story Vic  :Smilie: 

When justice catches up with the Colonel he might regret having so many sharp things around!

----------


## Glen C.

A couple, three posts were removed. It may a shame we are not a modern politics and firearm appreciation venue but that is the case. Having reached the line of politics and then jumping straight to modern firearms goes right against forum rules folk agree to when registering.

Let us enjoy the edged variety in less than current events context.

Thanks for your considerations.

Glen

----------


## Vic Diehl

Glen absolutely no problem, I am used to blue lights in the rear view. History is rapidly changing in the Near and Middle East and things get lost forever, just putting up a few things the guys may never see again. Here is an Imperial Russian sword that was a gift to Egypt

----------


## Vic Diehl

Scabbard

----------


## Vic Diehl

Drag

----------


## Glen C.

Thanks Vic and I appreciate the photos as well as the background story.

As an aside and not well indicated, the system will upload five pictures per post and uploads of pictures will automatically resize/compress even huge images. The image url transloader though is still a 100kb threshold.

Cheers

Glen

----------


## Vic Diehl

Glen, 
Thanks for the image input. All of these forums are so different I rarely know what to do. There are some very impressive posters on this site, so I am learning all I can.

----------


## Gene Wilkinson

Vic
Do you have any background information on any of them?
Some are magnificent!

----------


## Vic Diehl

Gene,
All of the Arabic swords in both Tripoli and Cairo for the most part were gift from other Arab countries regarding historical anniversaries, treaties, development projects that sort of thing. The same thing we may give a brass plaque for they gave a Shamshir. I could not figure out why the Russian coronation sword was in Mubarak's area. It was heavily guarded, I guess there is the possibility it was on loan. 

These museums are fill with so much stuff. I know I can't post guns here but in Egypt they had an Ottoman jewelry cabinet set up so that if you did not properly open the lid correctly, two doors opened in front and a pair of flintlock pistols fired. Sort of James Bond operation.

----------


## Vic Diehl

Here is a double bladed Indian piece with beautiful koftgari and enameled handle. I was looking everywhere for a real Middle Eastern Zulfiqar but did not see one until I got to Istanbul.

----------


## Vic Diehl

Nice Carabella and a couple of other pieces that are different looking

----------


## Vic Diehl

Crossing the Med to the Balkans, here is a beautiful Shamshir handle in a small museum in Transylvania.

----------


## Gene Wilkinson

> Gene,
> All of the Arabic swords in both Tripoli and Cairo for the most part were gift from other Arab countries regarding historical anniversaries, treaties, development projects that sort of thing. The same thing we may give a brass plaque for they gave a Shamshir. I could not figure out why the Russian coronation sword was in Mubarak's area. It was heavily guarded, I guess there is the possibility it was on loan. 
> 
> These museums are fill with so much stuff. I know I can't post guns here but in Egypt they had an Ottoman jewelry cabinet set up so that if you did not properly open the lid correctly, two doors opened in front and a pair of flintlock pistols fired. Sort of James Bond operation.


Wow, always thought I'd missed my calling and should have had a career in the diplomatic corps!

----------

