Thank you so much David! I'm glad you thought of that, as the ebay photos will disappear, so its good to have these illustrations to maintain the thread for future reference. This is really an unusual piece, and I think it will be good to continue researching, maybe another example might turn up.
Very good points Martin, and I think perhaps the sword might be likely associated more to Berber craftsmanship as you note, and even into Tuareg regions which of course cover vast geotribal areas of the Sahara. The techniques of metalworkers from Arabia or Maghrebi trade regions of course would have close connections. As noted, the tall conical pommel is recognizable as a feature on the takoubas of Niger. The diffusion of these weapons in trade route traffic in either direction makes any defined regional assignment for this piece improbable, unless other like examples are found with provenance.
All best regards,
Jim
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