Sale Pending

Flyssa (Flissa) Sword
Iflissen Lebhar Tribal Confederacy
Kabylia - Regency of Algiers, Ottoman Algeria - French Algeria (Algeria)
Mid-19th century (ca. 1830 - 1870)
Steel, wood, brass
Blade: 33 3/8" (84.4cm)
Hilt & Blade: 38" (96.2cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -
Collection Date: 2025
Collection Number: 473

Ex. American Art Market: (2025)

The flissa is the traditional weapon of the Iflissen Kabyles, an ethnic Berber group originating from the Atlas Mountain Range in Northern Algeria. Their weapons range from small knives to very long swords, most of which are very consistent in design using brass inlays and geometric motifs.

This fine example is the sword version having good age. Its quality can be seen in the crisp details and fine workmanship. Long and heavy, straight single- edged steel blade that gently widens before tapering to a long acute point. The blade is extensively inlaid for ¾ of its length with a long panel of brass triangles along with fanciful linear and geometric motifs. Thick spine with the last ¼ of the blade having a false edge. Engraved iron bolster with brass inlays. Wooden hilt with a zoomorphic pommel head. The hilt is covered in brass sheet with finely worked repoussé scrolls and line work. The steel bolster and spine are also eloquently engraved with scrollwork and zig- zag brass inlays.

One of the nicer flyssa swords with very- well executed crafsmanship, crisp in detail, and having good age to this example.

[1] Claude, Eric. 2020. “The Small Catalog of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons”. Pages 146 – 173

[2] Hales, Robert. 2013. "Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour". Page 240: No. 592

[3] Pinchot, Oliver S. 2014. “Arms of the Paladins” Page 81. Cat. 4-56

[4] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 21-24

[5] Tirri, Anthony C. 2003. “Islamic Weapons Maghrib to Moghul”. Page 25. Figure 8

[6] Tirri, Anthony C. 2007. “Islamic and Native Weapons of Colonial Africa 1800 - 1960”.

[7] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31190

[8] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31188

[9] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-1626-a

[10] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-1626-b

[11] http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/weapons/index.php/tour-by-region/oceania/africa/arms-and-armour-africa-2/index.html

[12] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=62

[13 http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6793

[14] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5868

[15] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=1292

[16] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?8-flyssa-mit-scheide-u

[17] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?6-flyssa-110-cm-gr