Interesting knife for ID Tlingit or African?

[Atlantia]

Who the heck knows!
In some ways it reminds me of the Tlingit knives and in other ways it looks African.
It's 56cm/22" overall. Diamond section blade (thick and sturdy) multiple single fullers. In quite a dry and rusty state, needs a clean badly.
Anyone know what it it?

[Gavin Nugent]

A nice large and unusual piece.

Be conservative in cleaning, patina is preferred on African weapons.

[Atlantia]

A nice large and unusual piece.

Be conservative in cleaning, patina is preferred on African weapons.

Hi Gav

It IS definately African then?
The hilt bindings remind me of Mandinka work?

[Iain]

African for sure in my opinion. This pattern of leather wrapping over cloth is well known in the Cameroon/Nigeria border area. The incised line decoration is also consistent with pieces from this area and also shows up on Hausa arm daggers.

The pommel is certainly unusual, but I guess comes from the same school as the Tebu skullcrusher style.

Nice piece!

[Atlantia]

African for sure in my opinion. This pattern of leather wrapping over cloth is well known in the Cameroon/Nigeria border area. The incised line decoration is also consistent with pieces from this area and also shows up on Hausa arm daggers.

The pommel is certainly unusual, but I guess comes from the same school as the Tebu skullcrusher style.

Nice piece!


Thanks Iain.

I've never seen one quite like this before, so it had me a bit stumped.

[Iain]

No problem, I can't recall one exactly the same either, but I think the general style is pretty consistent with the region I mentioned. :)

I like it a lot, sometimes arm daggers from the region have quite wide blades but I like this slender profile - rather elegant.

[Mauro]

Hi agree with Iain. African from the Nigeria/Cameroon border but it is quite interesting because I have never see this type of cap. The usual cap of the Tebou-Tedda is triangular. It could be an older form !!

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi, fully agree with Iain and Mauro. Interesting and probably rare piece ! And let´s take one picture with simmilar blade (Tebu item, bud unfortunately polished, Gav...)

Regards
Martin

[Gavin Nugent]

:-)

By form, it reminds me of two ends of a spear joined together and bound in th middle. It dont think it is as the splayed end looks too wide for a spear base...but...any movement in there???

Gav

[Atlantia]

Mauro, Iain, Martin, Gav,


Thanks chaps!
I've done some further digging in the archives using your advice:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5864&highlight=tebu
Remember this one of Davids?

No movement, definately one piece construction.

[Iain]

Yup, that style like David's piece is what I was thinking of generally. That style, with a more rounded pommel seems to be a distinct variant as well from the more triangular examples.