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Originally Posted by Mefidk
Hi Marc
I have a very similar sword (blade at least). I associate these fuller decorations with Ethiopian influence, and the blade I was always assuming is not locally made but a trade blade of some form. Like yours mine has a panel with numbers which is rather strange. The lion marks look identical between your blade and mine, also the decoration. I think these were therefore trade blades of some kind. Your hand marks are not present on mine and look like a later addition to me.
Some pictures of my example here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/phgeUZgdUYjMEXQS9
Apart from the blade the rest of the fittings and scabbard for mine are of lower quality, scabbard is also unusual in that it is plain and does not follow the usual patterns of other kaskara. The sword itself is on the smaller end of the kaskara scale.
So all in all I had attributed these to cross over between Sudan and Ethiopia, and not that old, very early 20th C. Of course I'm interested to be proved wrong though 
Best regards,
Chris |
Hi Chris,
As I had mentioned in my post (just prior to this one) these blades are trade blades made for Ethiopia (Abyssinia) from around 1880 into 20th c. by both England and Germany. The British were providing blades for Menelik into the 1930s.
The numbers were a feature which seem to have begun appearing on Solingen trade blades at the end of the century and may have to do with lot or pattern etc. As you have noted, the lion is virtually identical but placed in different place on blade, the point is it was a favored imbuement regardless of location. It likely varied by shop or worker adding it.
The 20th century assessment is of course quite reasonable as these swords remained in use, at least traditionally, well through the century. It is well known that the kaskara was in use in Ethiopia (Burton, 1884, Danakil) and in Eritrea. I once spoke to a Beja tribesman from Eritrea, who let me see a video of their tribal dance ceremonies with kaskara.
As you note, these hand marks are not a known makers mark, and may well have been added by importing dealer handling the blades.