242 - Set of three nimcha-style daggers. Morocco, 20th century.

Set of three nimcha-style daggers. Morocco, 20th century. Carved wood, steel, and brass. Curved steel blades with engraved decoration; wooden handles and sheaths, partially carved and inlaid with geometric motifs and brass fittings. They show signs of wear, rust, and alterations consistent with their use and age. Measurements: approx. 60 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. The ornate design of the handles and sheaths, combined with the pronounced curved profile of the blades, links these three pieces to the Moroccan variants of daggers or short swords derived from the nimcha. This identification fits particularly well due to the metal guards with curved arms, the long wooden handles, and the similarly curved scabbards—features documented in Moroccan examples described as nimcha daggers. The three pieces feature different ornamental treatments within the same typology. One of the scabbards displays dense geometric carving; another combines dark wood with metal inlays forming latticework and broken lines, while the third maintains a more restrained decoration using bands of brass. The blades extend this ornamental style through incised geometric and curvilinear motifs. The nimcha is one of the characteristic bladed weapons of the Maghreb, particularly associated with Morocco. Alongside saber-sized examples, there are shorter versions that the market and collections describe as daggers or dagger-swords, also made with curved blades, wood, and metal fittings.