Unusual Kaskara

TVV · Yesterday, 11:59 PM

Here is another kaskara for comments, with an 18th century European blade, brass crossguard, leather bound grip and an unusual brass pommel.

Jim McDougall · Today, 12:43 AM

Fantastic example Teodor! and especially great to have something posted from this field. While its been a while since study in Sudanese topics, it seems that it was unusual to see brass crossguards on most kaskara, usually iron. However, the distinctive examples which are associated with the Calipha, after the death of the Mahdi, known with thuluth covered blades, typically had brass guards.

These are believed to have been produced at Omdurman where most of the materials and tools from the arsenal at Khartoum were taken. It is interesting that this example has similar leather wrap, but the terminals of the guard are different, as of course is the most unusual pommel cap.

It would seem this example was likely assembled either outside the general production parameters of the general kaskara production, or perhaps later than the larger production numbers. Most likely this was for a ranking figure of the Ansar as this is a high quality blade (18th c as noted) from Eastern Europe.

There were it seems a notable number of such blades coming into Sudan prior to and during the time pre-Khartoum (1885) when Rudolf von Slatin of Austria was governor general of Darfur in accord with Gordon in Khartoum.
In Slatin's memoir "Fire and Sword in the Sudan", swords with the dual head eagle symbol of Austro-Hungary on blades are mentioned.

Just my speculations, and again, superb example Teo!!!!

Best regards
Jim

TVV · Today, 06:32 AM

Thank you for the quick response Jim. Do you think the blade could be Austrian? It lacks any maker marks as far as I can see, and the decoration at the base is quite generic, with nothing that suggests a clear connection to an of the European powers at the time at least to my non expert eye.

Yesterday, 11:59 PM	#1
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,763	Unusual Kaskara Here is another kaskara for comments, with an 18th century European blade, brass crossguard, leather bound grip and an unusual brass pommel. Attached Images

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Today, 12:43 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,853	Fantastic example Teodor! and especially great to have something posted from this field. While its been a while since study in Sudanese topics, it seems that it was unusual to see brass crossguards on most kaskara, usually iron. However, the distinctive examples which are associated with the Calipha, after the death of the Mahdi, known with thuluth covered blades, typically had brass guards. These are believed to have been produced at Omdurman where most of the materials and tools from the arsenal at Khartoum were taken. It is interesting that this example has similar leather wrap, but the terminals of the guard are different, as of course is the most unusual pommel cap. It would seem this example was likely assembled either outside the general production parameters of the general kaskara production, or perhaps later than the larger production numbers. Most likely this was for a ranking figure of the Ansar as this is a high quality blade (18th c as noted) from Eastern Europe. There were it seems a notable number of such blades coming into Sudan prior to and during the time pre-Khartoum (1885) when Rudolf von Slatin of Austria was governor general of Darfur in accord with Gordon in Khartoum. In Slatin's memoir "Fire and Sword in the Sudan", swords with the dual head eagle symbol of Austro-Hungary on blades are mentioned. Just my speculations, and again, superb example Teo!!!! Best regards Jim

Today, 06:32 AM	#3
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,763	Thank you for the quick response Jim. Do you think the blade could be Austrian? It lacks any maker marks as far as I can see, and the decoration at the base is quite generic, with nothing that suggests a clear connection to an of the European powers at the time at least to my non expert eye.