For me, identification and classification of edged weapons from these western regions is a nebulous pursuit, as geographical borders are very much rigid opposed to tribal movements and diffusion of materials through trade are certainly not.
There is sometimes a certain resistance to realizing that 'West Africa' is far beyond the western littoral of Africa and extends that category well into Saharan regions including Mali, Burkino Faso et al. Equally unclear is the designator 'Sahel'. In the west, the 'Sudan' extends farther than often realized as well.
Use of these terms in classifications becomes sometimes as debated as the terms used for various weapons without the ever present conundrum of variation and hybridization from myriads of influences brought with trade and migrations of peoples.
Such is the case here, and in the accompanying threads discussing these obviously African swords, from the west, and reflecting these kinds of features and nuances from both congruent and distant origins.
Granted, this sword has 'Cameroon' possibilities, and in my experience, the dual discoid form on the hilt (rather a rondel like character) is seen on 19th c swords identified as from Sierra Leone.
The rest of the sword, the leather work, seems to call 'Mandinka', which is a tribal heading which traverses most of these geographic boundaries.
The blockish pommel, in this case chiseled nicely it appears, brings to mind the character of the pommels on Omani sa'if and kattara, and again begs the question of that notable influence from the other side of the Continent.
Can this feature have been transmitted these distances via trade routes in enough volume to exact this degree of influence? I think yes.
Certainly this pommel is exaggerated in comparison to those usually plain and cuboid types, but then such embellishment is often not only enhancement for a weapon perhaps to higher station, but to relegate a style to personalize it rather than just copy it.
As for restoration.....absolutely! but as always, with restraint. I think effort to retain as much original material is best. Often, though these weapons were refurbished sometimes almost endlessly, materials can sometimes retain the history and pedigree of them for study and interest.
Stop corrosion and repair damage to stop deterioration, but use every means to preserve the integrity of the piece.
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