It is all about this blade, and with the sword's of the Sudan known as kaskara, we know that in many cases they, and their western cousins, the takouba, often carried very old and significant blades. Blades actually from the Crusades have turned up in takouba.
As Ed has noted, the swords of the Mahdi himself, and the Khalif, are not known, though obviously we know they existed, and a blade of this stature would of course be a good candidate for either. The profuse inscription in latten (inlaid gold metal) appears to be in 'Naskh' (though I have no particular knowledge of the 'pens' of Islamic calligraphy)....which resembles that seen on several swords which belonged to Ali Dinar, the last Sultan of Darfur. Images of these are seen in the late Tony North's "Introduction to Islamic Arms".
When I talked with Mr. North asking the disposition of one of these swords, with inscription laden blades similar to this, he told me the owner was in Malaysia and was unclear on exactly how to reach them.
This type of script is quite contrary to the heavily acid etched inscriptions typically seen on Mahdiyya period sword blades and other weapons, with this form known as 'thuluth' a more rudimentary 'pen' of the Islamic script.
This is a quite early blade as has been noted, the block ricasso indicates, and the gold color metal dot at the tip of the blade is a talismanic/magic (?) type convention often seen on these early Islamic blades (Yucel).
While it is stunning to see a weapon like this, clearly in a relatively common Sudanese hilt, and so vapidly described sell for such a staggering amount, it is clear this offering was well attended by well initiated figures who needed no detailed description, they knew exactly what it was.
I would venture a guess this went to an anonymous buyer likely in Saudi Arabia, as a first guess.
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