Maghreb nimcha, which belonged to Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn (1642-1717). The hilt of the nimcha consists of a brass knuckle-guard, which is formed by a long, curved, down turned quillon. The opposite quillon ends short and is turned up. The nimcha has a brass langet and an embryo pas d'ane ring. The grip consists of a fluted dark brown material, 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, being the first on board, 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 is probable that the enemy ship was an Algerian corsair and the action took place about 1676 when Hopsonn was a First Lieutenant on the 'Dragon' in the Mediterranean. Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn (1642-1717) was born on the Isle of Wight in 1642 and entered the Royal Navy in about 1662. He became Vice-Admiral of the White in 1701-1702. He distinguished himself at the attack on the French-Spanish fleet at Vigo on the 12th October 1702 and was knighted by the Queen in the same year. He later became MP for Newton, Isle of Wight and died in 1717 aged 75.