Jim, I appreciate your input. Here is a takouba from Oriental Arms' sold archive, which has a similar blade and a very interesting transitional hilt which has some remnants of the Mamluk saif badawi hilts, especially in the pommel, while the cross guard and grip are consistent with early takouba types. Such blades are far less common than the later Solingen blades with triple fullers, but they were clearly exported to Africa.
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