Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - A Nice Takouba just finished on eBay....Euro blade?

katana · 19th October 2006, 08:55 PM

Hi Arotec,
I hope you dont mind me posting the pictures.
I said that I wasn't certain about the blade.....but I agree that if it is local manufacture it is a very good one. When I researched Takouba's ...my information was that Euro blades were rare....less so with the Kaskara. Generally (according to the articles I read) , Euro blades carried makers marks and commonly blades of 'local' manufacture 'imitated' these marks as a sign of quality.On that basis there was a real POSSIBILITY that this was not European. I agree with your comments about Takouba blades usually being thin and springy.
I actually 'stayed up' to bid on this sword, which I did, just under the selling price and was unable to increase my offer in time. I posted this because I was uncertain about the blade and was surprised that the price was not higher.......which started me thinking that others disagreed with the European provenance for the blade, (bearing in mind they are rarer). Also the hilt decoration seemed average.....many of the hilts on Euro blades seem to have more adornment....
I hope you have not taken personal offence as no offence was meant...this was a genuine question to further mine (and others reading these threads) knowledge.

19th October 2006, 08:55 PM	#10
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Arotec, I hope you dont mind me posting the pictures. I said that I wasn't certain about the blade.....but I agree that if it is local manufacture it is a very good one. When I researched Takouba's ...my information was that Euro blades were rare....less so with the Kaskara. Generally (according to the articles I read) , Euro blades carried makers marks and commonly blades of 'local' manufacture 'imitated' these marks as a sign of quality.On that basis there was a real POSSIBILITY that this was not European. I agree with your comments about Takouba blades usually being thin and springy. I actually 'stayed up' to bid on this sword, which I did, just under the selling price and was unable to increase my offer in time. I posted this because I was uncertain about the blade and was surprised that the price was not higher.......which started me thinking that others disagreed with the European provenance for the blade, (bearing in mind they are rarer). Also the hilt decoration seemed average.....many of the hilts on Euro blades seem to have more adornment.... I hope you have not taken personal offence as no offence was meant...this was a genuine question to further mine (and others reading these threads) knowledge.