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Originally Posted by LOUIEBLADES
Jim
The dagger is Tebu and they are from the Niger/Chad region of Africa.
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Thanks very much Lew, as always I very much acknowledge your keen knowledge of these African weapons, and appreciate the gentle correction.
Actually, my initial post was written a bit 'off the cuff' as it were, and I had recalled the swords with these profile pommels worn as arm daggers by the Mandara of Cameroon. These tribes are situated in northern Cameroon near Nigerian borders, which of course are near Chad to the east as well.
Africa is often interesting, and challenging, in the semantics of geographic terms, and my notation to West Africa was with thoughts of the typical references including Nigeria and Cameroon under the West African umbrella.
I thought of Tebu (Toubou), but without referring to notes did not feel confident in that detail without checking.
I must admit I was more compelled by the use of an actual weapon in a movie and researching the accuracy or lack thereof in the weapon seen. This has often been a favorite source for adventures in research, and my wife will often smile as we're watching a movie where a distinct weapon appears, knowing that I will definitely be searching soon after.
"The Oblong box" was one of the string of movies in the 1960's which took the titles of Edgar Allen Poe's works, and sensationalized these films whose plots typically had little to do with the actual tales. It's been a long time since I saw the film, but if I recall correctly, it seems the disfigured noble from unfortunate events in colonial regions was similar in ways to a Sherlock Holmes film (I think Sign of the Four?).
The Poe story had to do with a shipwreck off the American coast, a coffin and other details having nothing to do with the plot in the 1969 movie, if I am not mistaken.
In the movie, the disfigured noble who becomes a killer, after being maimed in some tribal ritual ? in Africa, becomes of course a liability to his brother who has kept him hidden. The brother decides to transport him away from the place and needs to have him appear dead (the oblong box ploy). He entreats the help of an African witch doctor who uses native potions for this.
Here again are my West African inclinations, as the British presence in these
regions was well established, and the profound presence of Vodun, which became voodoo in outside cultures, notably used drug induced catatonic states, or deathlike appearance in 'zombieism'.
Frankly, the 'story' used in the sale description was good, but its 'movie oriented' association has been fun as well.
Here's to Hollywood!!!
All the best,
Jim