New member, need help identifying sword

[brabbit]

Can anyone please help me to indentify this sword. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat036.jpg

[Rivkin]

Wow. I know there are bigger specialists here, but to me the sword looks like a rare Omani kattara with a sabre blade, the scabbard however is more like a sudanese one... I would vote for sudanese origins, but it's just the first guess, I know I will be corrected by real collectors :).

[Jim McDougall]

Kirill,
Very astutely observed!! Actually the Sudanese attribution is essentially correct as this is a Manding sabre from the far western Sudan. These were typically mounted with French sabre blades from occupational forces in Saharan regions. Your observation on the similarity to the Omani kattara is well placed as well as these seem to be associated to these in the cylindrical, guardless hilt.
The leaf shaped scabbard end reflects of course influence from the kaskaras of the eastern Sudan.
Best regards,
Jim

[Lew]

Hi Brabbit

Welcome to the forum!

I must agree with Jim definately a Manding sword and a nice one to boot. Here is one I own. Here is a link to it.
http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002531.html

[Rick]

The blade of this sword seems to show many marks from the hammer ; something you wouldn't see on a European blade .
Perhaps native made ?

[brabbit]

Thanks for your help guys. I REALLY appreciate it. I've done hours of reseach on the net and at the library and came up with nothing. Here are some more detailed pics. I know there is a lot of history behind this sword, especially because of the engravings on the blade. The scabbard is very detailed as well. Any more information you can give me, such as the time period, what the symbols mean, etc?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat015.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat009.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat002.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat037.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat035.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat039.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat038.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/pvtcarter/pat034.jpg

[brabbit]

I've found some more of these types of swords and they do look similar however this one seems to be more detailed. It looks as if it may have been for royalty or the leader of a tribe? any ideas about the markings on the blade and the symbols dyed in the sheath? There's very limited info on this and you guys are the experts. I appreciate all the help thus far.

[Rick]

Doubtful that it is for "royalty" it is however a nicely executed older example that shows appropriate age wear .

[Tim Simmons]

This is not that old and has been well kept, It has a native made blade like yours, so to be fair yours would have belonged to a pretty ropey royal household :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jamhappy/A.jpg

[brabbit]

Tim, yours is very nice as well. Thanks for the pic. Does yours have engravings in the blade too? What time frame is it from? and if you don't mind me asking, how much is it worth? Feel free to e-mail me off the forum if you'd like. Thanks again, Jason

[Rick]

Hi brabbit ,

I'd say it's worth whatever the highest bidder would pay for it . :D
African stuff tends to be somewhat undervalued in the marketplace today .

I'm sure you are aware from reading the posting rules that we don't appraise pieces here . :)

[brabbit]

I wasn't looking for an appraisle. I'm really just trying to find as much info about it as possible.