Takoubavariant?

[kronckew]

won this Medieval style steel bladed sword, 90.5cm in length", (auctioneer description ;))

Looks to me like a takouba variant. Any comments on age and possible origin, etc. welome. Thanks in advance for anything you can add.
sadsly, no scabbard.

[werecow]

With that pommel and short guard it looks to me like an attempt at a Viking sword.

[kronckew]

With that pommel and short guard it looks to me like an attempt at a Viking sword.
That was my initial thoughts, but then the blade has tak-like fullers and that crossguard is not very viking. reminded me of asub saharan short tak with a cast aluminum guard I have. (below)



In any case, it was cheap. Thought it might be worth checking it out in hand.

[kronckew]

I Note on mine in post #1, the wide blade, single fuller, rounded tip, reenforcing plates on the crossguard, holes that may have once had rivets for a cover. And the oval half a brazil nut pommel.



Also I note from http://takouba.org/the_takouba_form_with_a_focus_on_range_and_distrib ution.pdf


the oval pommel is also a feature on some.

[Iain]

In my view its not a takouba, its most likely an old stage prop aping a viking sword. The pommel is not of the type you would see on a takouba, its made to imitate a two part viking pommel. The blade could have been taken from a takouba or a kaskara, this was fairly common when making stage swords in the early 20th century, but its very hard to say given the current mounts.

The screenshots you posted are actually from a very old PDF I wrote and the sword is no longer in my hands but looks a lot better these days. I have posted it several times in the past.

[kronckew]

In my view its not a takouba, its most likely an old stage prop aping a viking sword. The pommel is not of the type you would see on a takouba, its made to imitate a two part viking pommel. The blade could have been taken from a takouba or a kaskara, this was fairly common when making stage swords in the early 20th century, but its very hard to say given the current mounts.

The screenshots you posted are actually from a very old PDF I wrote and the sword is no longer in my hands but looks a lot better these days. I have posted it several times in the past.


Your expertise is of course telling. I'll consider it a Stage Combat prop 'Viking' sword with a takouba style blade.



might be of interest to Jim in his stage combat thread in miscellanea.


Thanks, I'm always willing to learn, especially from my mistooks.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Iain]

Your expertise is of course telling. I'll consider it a Stage Combat prop 'Viking' sword with a takouba style blade.



might be of interest to Jim in his stage combat thread in miscellanea.


Thanks, I'm always willing to learn, especially from my mistooks.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Its a well made thing at any rate and perhaps sturdier than many takouba I've handled! When you get it in hand it will be interesting to see if there's anything else the blade can tell us.

I've lost track of the number of kaskara I've seen messed about with to make them look like "medieval" swords, but there's been a few similar takouba. One of the oddest was actually using a takouba hilt but it was mounted to a lightweight blade that was stamped for a German theatre.

[kronckew]

Its a well made thing at any rate and perhaps sturdier than many takouba I've handled! When you get it in hand it will be interesting to see if there's anything else the blade can tell us.

I've lost track of the number of kaskara I've seen messed about with to make them look like "medieval" swords, but there's been a few similar takouba. One of the oddest was actually using a takouba hilt but it was mounted to a lightweight blade that was stamped for a German theatre.


Interesting, I've been seeing a lot of those from Berlin online recently, as I mentioned in Jim's Theatre Combat thread in miscellanea.

[Jim McDougall]

Very interesting Wayne!!! Again thanks for your help on that stage props thread.
This seems very much like such an item, not meant as a reproduction but a visual accoutrement which would serve as 'close enough' in a production setting.

Iain, great to see you come in here!!! You are missed here!

Wayne, what misteakes? :)