Odd takouba like sabre
 

This is an interesting one I acquired recently. The blade is a real puzzle. It's a slim sabre with good quality steel, an oddly decorated forte and a substantial hilt.

I don't recognize the decorative motif really, although it seems perhaps more into Chad and the eastern Sudan?

The hilt is definitely takouba-like with a boxy guard covered in leather, a large metal iron pommel (also leather covered) and a grip with what looks like croc belly skin.

I've included a pic next to a standard sized takouba to show the slim profile off better.

All comments appreciated - I'm a little puzzled about the blade origins for the moment.

Dimensions:

Overall: 103cm
Blade: 87.5cm
Blade width at base: 2.6cm

A INTERESTING SWORD HOW BLADE AND HANDLE CAME TOGETHER :confused: IF MORE SIMULAR EXAMPLES WERE KNOWN IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO TRACK DOWN ITS ORIGION AND A LIKELY TIME FRAME BUT WITH JUST THE ONE ITS NOT LIKELY. IF SOMEONE CAN IDENTIFY THE BLADE AS COMING FROM SOME SPECIFIC SWORD WOULD HELP.
A POSSIBLE SCENARIO COULD BE SOMEONE IMPORTED A LARGE LOT OF OLD TULWAR SWORDS OR BLADES AND MADE THEM UP IN THE LOCAL FORM FOR SALE TO THE LOCALS OR JUST SOLD AND TRADED THE BLADES AND THE LOCALS MOUNTED THEM. MANY TIMES OLD SURPLUS WEAPONS AND PARTS ARE SOLD OFF IN LARGE LOTS CHEAP AND ARE SPREAD FAR AND WIDE. GOOD LUCK

Thanks for the comments. It's a bit narrow for a tulwar I think, but I'm certainly curious about movement from that direction. The hilting is not particularly recent to my eyes. Yes, IDing the blade is the first step for sure.

There's always similar examples out there. They just often take a lot of finding! ;)

Hi Iain

Good looking sword - a scarcer variant. There is one with a similar profile shown in the book "Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika" by Museum fur Volkerkunde, Frankfurt 1985, page 103. That one has a French blade and is described as being from North Cameroon...

Perhaps the blade on your example is a native copy ??

Regards.

Hi Colin, I've got the same book, I'd discounted the locally made European sabre copy idea because those tend to be fullered. Here's one a friend owns: http://takouba.org/catalog/index.php/peoples/takouba-73

That one is pretty clearly inspired by items like the French blades. This one... I'm not so sure!