[Iain]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I think we can safely say this is a Kull blade, and I hope Iain and Ed will agree as they are the true authorities on these swords here.
It seems that in the many years I have been fascinated by these kaskara, I have seen these latten (copper or brass filled marks) in a good number of their blades, and typically with the cross and orb, if not with the lion as well.

The fly mark is indeed for Kull (Bezdek, 72.73.74) and suggests the c. 1847+ date. It does seem that there was a distinct market for blades, and even crossguards in the third quarter + to the Sudan (Les Soudan: ses rapport aveck commerce European, 1871). I do not have more on citing this source but I know Iain has it.

In one reference which I think was Slatin (Rudolf Slatin, who was governor general in Darfur in 1882) who surrendered to Mahdist forces in 1883 and was in captivity for 11 years...….mention is made of swords, which were being brought in from Austria. There were some with double head eagle (Holy Roman insignia of Austro-Hungary) but I feel sure that mention was made of the cross and orb and the lion on numbers of these. Naturally these would be presumed of German origin.
In references such as Robb (1924,describing Masri blades with lion and cross and orb) as well as Briggs (1965) the presence of these distinctly marked blades is well established.

The cross on the cross guard center has typically been regarded as a Darfur affinity from the post Khalifa period or Ali Dinar period of early 20th but references show it was used in Sudan prior to that.

If I were to imagine the trajectory of these clearly Kull blades (so marked with fly) I would agree that an entrepot in North African port with the facilities for melting copper/brass as suggested by Ed and Iain, likely applied the talismanically oriented devices on the blades . These then entered the trade networks which clearly went to varied centers including Darfur, where seen by Slatin.

In all, a remarkable sword regardless of its hilt condition, and beautifully represents these historic times and events in the Mahdiyya period.

Yes Jim, I would not dispute a Kull attribution for the blade and a mid 19th century dating. The guards are still a bit of a mystery in that we know they were made locally but have the one odd reference to them being imported as well.