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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 13:46:16 GMT
To start with I’ll be honest and admit that I know absolutely nothing about swords. We acquired the one which we have purely by chance. My 7 yr old son was given a sword by a Bedouin Emir (think governor not prince) we’ve befriended in a remote Saudi village. We’d like to keep it as a reminder of our time in KSA and the Bedouin friends we made. As we will be finishing up Saudi in a few months we will need to try to ship it back to Australia. I need a rough figure that I can put on the customs declaration form. It’s not a pretty sword, both the handle and the blade are somewhat irregular in shape, I’m guessing it was made by a local village smith. The Emir was uncertain of the precise age of the sword beyond that it was used by his family in the Saudi unification wars, which ran from 1903 to 1925. I currently don’t have a good picture of the sword, (will try to get a better one), but here are two shots taken when my son was given it. One shows the handle, the other part of the blade. www.flickr.com/photos/pedronet/4569432775/www.flickr.com/photos/pedronet/4570073748/in/set-72157623845153625/Is anyone willing to take a guess at value? Does this fit in the sub 300 USD category?
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 14:44:24 GMT
Very nice sword. I have sent you a private message.
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Post by shadowhowler on May 3, 2010 14:44:31 GMT
I can't even hazard a guess as to its value... but what an awesome memento!
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 16:33:48 GMT
Nice, please post some better pictures.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 17:12:25 GMT
O wow!Very nice piece of history.Please post more pics of the blade and handle.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 17:24:04 GMT
Wow. Regardless of the quality and value, that is an amazing gift. It is a wonderful thing to be given a sword, especially as a gift of esteem, and especially from person whose cultural background is as rich as the Bedouin. I truly envy your circumstances, and I think I speak for many here who would love to be in your shoes. My congratulations on such an old-school form of commemoration. Very cool.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 19:10:53 GMT
Tomorrow I will try to sort out some close up photos of my son’s sword. But for those of you that have enjoyed the story of the Bedouin connection, here is an entry from a friend’s blog covering our first meeting with the Emir back in January. It has some lovely photos of him and some of his family’s treasures. nidalm.com/blog/travelography/guests-of-the-emir/I’m very conscious that the value of the sword relates to us as a family relates to its source rather than the value & quality aspect of the sword itself.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 19:45:49 GMT
Let's see if this works! Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 19:48:09 GMT
Close up of section of blade. Attachments:
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2010 19:50:02 GMT
Close up of Handle Attachments:
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on May 3, 2010 22:03:32 GMT
Looks like Liam is getting a heck of an education......should be something he remembers for a lifetime! +1 to you Maree.
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Post by Kilted Cossack on May 3, 2010 22:29:59 GMT
Maree:
That is so cool. For customs declarations purposes, I would write, "20th century Arabic sword, value AUD$300."
As the Visa commercials in America have it, however, I would rate it as "priceless."
I would not ever, ever sell that sword, unless it was to feed my children. (Then I'd sell it in a heartbeat, because "children" beat "cool" all to pieces---my take on the matter.) The money you'd get from selling it would be gone in a month, on crisps or beer or diapers or food or gas or whatever, but the memory of it should---hopefully!---live in your son's mind forever.
As the grandson of East Texas sharecroppers, I've met a lot more Muslims than I ever thought I would, and---among the Muslims I've met---that kind of gift isn't just a traveller's cheque, it's a gift worth holding on to.
I've got a few mementos from my time in Central Asia---hats, carved wooden horses, that kind of thing---and I hope that one day my daughters look back and think, "These are from Daddy's adventures." That it was gifted to your son, I think, makes it even more special.
Ma'am, that is too cool for words.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 3:39:51 GMT
Those are Mastercard commercials, Cossack. That sword has obviously seen significant use. The tip was broken off and it has had innumerable nicks filed out of it. It looks like it's a solid, simple design. I don't suppose you have more pictures of the sword being given to your son? It's the combination of the sword and the pictures that make or will make it monetarily valuable. Have your son take it to Antiques Roadshow when he gets older. With the pics.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 3:53:28 GMT
Thanks Kilted Cossack - "20th century Arabic sword, value AUD$300." sounds good to me.
Taran - I know your right, the photos are important as Liam being so little will need them to remember the day. We have several photographs of Liam holding his sword surrounded by groups of Bedouin. I'll make a point to try to record names.
I will also try to store a copy of the Arabic blog entry about the presentation of the sword from the Emir's family website. Although our ability to read Arabic is decidedly limited, it will be nice to have a copy of the story told from their point of view.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 10:16:49 GMT
What a cool adventure! Welcome to the forums, and I hope this gift sparks an interest in your son that encourages him to join in our little addic-err... passion ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2010 15:17:53 GMT
I will also try to store a copy of the Arabic blog entry about the presentation of the sword from the Emir's family website. Although our ability to read Arabic is decidedly limited, it will be nice to have a copy of the story told from their point of view. Print it and keep it with the photos
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Post by Dan Davis on May 6, 2010 21:41:18 GMT
PM sent
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2010 8:06:56 GMT
Nice sword. Seems edge hardened.
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Post by Dan Davis on May 7, 2010 12:30:33 GMT
Yes, I would really like a high-def close-up of the edge in a hard light. I think it is also watered steel. OLS watered steel.
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2010 13:31:29 GMT
It would be interesting to see a close up of the steel. To me it just looks like an old European export blade. As I said in my PM, I recommend posting this in the Middle East and Africa section at www.swordforum.com. I believe that collectors commonly refer to this style of sword as a saif.
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