Need info ASAP, novice on ground in Tuareg country!

xerg · 14th November 2007, 12:24 AM

Hi all, I usually would prefer to do a lot of exhaustive research about a new topic such as this myself, but as I currently find myself in Lome, Togo paying through the nose for sloooooooooooooooooow internet, I thought I'd entreat you all to give me some of the basics that you know.

I'm interested in purchasing a Tuareg Takouba sword that I saw in a boutique today. It's listed at 60mil CFA (~130USD) and is in fairly poor condition. It looks almost -exactly- like the second one pictured on this site:

http://www.he-artefakte.de/Afrika/Et...egwaffenE.html

The scabbard is broken at the narrow part near the tip (and is currently affixed by a winding of orange thread which looks sorta cool). There is an obvious green patina from what I assume is the brasswork on the scabbard (it looks real, unlike a lot of the touristy pieces you see that are covered in light green paint).

Also, the blade is VERY rusty. What's the general thought on rust? Is it better to leave it as is in the way you wouldn't refin a Les Paul flametop? Or is it ok to clean it up? If so, what would be the best way to go about cleaning it up? The salesman, a Togolaise man, suggested sandpaper but I think he just wants to make the sale. The blade has what I've gathered to be the traditional three decorative "fullers" and two half-moon/lighting shaped markings near the hilt (they're small-- a little less than the size of a dime).

Other than that, though, the leatherwork is pretty nice and the blade seems to be pretty well attached to the hilt. I wish I could upload photos but, again, the internet here is terribly slow.

What do pieces like this go for? I ask since the boutique is non-negotiable and I wonder if 130$ is a good price. I am currently living in the region and have had other offers that started WAY higher (on the order of 700-1000$) for only slightly better quality goods (although that's Tuaregs for you, always starting astronomically high-- I've never put in the time to bargain with them since the starting prices seemed prohibitive to me). It'd be nice to just swoop on this one if the price seems ok and if the blade might be able to be restored to some semblance of attractiveness.

Dom · 15th November 2007, 05:10 PM

Hi alone xerg

Quote:

Originally Posted by xerg

I'm interested in purchasing a Tuareg Takouba sword that I saw in a boutique today...snip.. It looks almost -exactly- like the second one pictured on this site:
http://www.he-artefakte.de/Afrika/Et...egwaffenE.html

the one quotes at € 590.- ?? .... you saw listed at 60mil CFA in a shop

Quote:

Originally Posted by xerg

..snip.. I ask since the boutique is non-negotiable and I wonder if 130$ is a good price.

-non-negotiable ? it's a joke

usually, the lack of bargaining is considered as insulting,
but I refuse even, to discuss if the merchant has incredible pretentions

- good price ... the one you may afford without to be fresh out of money

no official rate, just the game of offer/request

leave your heart talk to you, and forgot a little bite your reason

take in consideration the fact that it should be easy to found on the spot craftsmen (old peoples preferably) to refurbish the dommages

regards

à +

Dom

dennee · 15th November 2007, 05:17 PM

At the risk of being sued by a bazaar stall operator, my advice would be to skip it. Takoubas are pretty plentiful at all levels of condition, and I probably wouldn't even accept one free in a heavily rusted condition if it weren't pretty clear that it was a truly old and quality piece. Tourist versions have been produced for many years. You can probably get a better sword in the U.S. at about the same price, without having to ship or drag it through customs.

Emanuel · 15th November 2007, 06:09 PM

HI Zerg,

I will echo the words of Denee and Dom: always negotiate in that part of the world, and 130USD is too much for a simple takouba in poor shape. You can periodically find decent piece on ebay for less. In which country are you? Read this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000106.html you can find decent takouba's at half of what the boutique was asking.

Regards,
Emanuel

ariel · 15th November 2007, 06:45 PM

No haggling? I almost laughed ! He knows you are a visitor and you, likely, were too enthusiastic about the piece of rusty junk... Haggling is the oxygen of trade in that part of the world!!!

Trust me: within a week you will find a better, older and cheaper Takouba on e-bay: there are tons of them!

VANDOO · 16th November 2007, 01:43 AM

ALL THE ABOVE ADVICE IS GOOD BUT BUYING ON EBAY IS NOT THE SAME AS BUYING IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AFTER A FIERCE BIT OF GOOD NATURED HAGGELING.

I GENERALLY USE SEVERAL TECKNIQUES EITHER PICK UP A ITEM AND MAKE WHAT YOU CONSIDER A LOW OFFER NOT YOUR BEST BEFORE ASKING THE PRICE. OR OFFER A BIT LESS THAN HALF WHAT THEY ARE ASKING AND HAGGLE FROM THERE TO A REASONABLE PRICE. IF THE FIRST PRICE OFFERED IS SO HIGH ITS CRAZY I DON'T BOTHER.
I FIND IT FUN TO BUY SOMETHING AT THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND ENJOY THE HAGGLEING ,YOU CAN BE SURE EVEN IF THE SELLER SAYS YOUR PRICE IS TOO LOW AND HIS CHILDREN WILL STARVE. IF HE ACCEPTS IT HE HAS MADE MORE SELLING IT TO YOU THAN HE COULD HOPE FOR SELLING TO A LOCAL. BEFORE BUYING BE SURE TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET YOUR ITEMS THRU CUSTOMS OF THAT COUNTRY AND AT HOME. BUY ONE OF THE DARK PURPLE TUREG ROBES AND HANG IT ON THE WALL AT HOME BEHIND SWORDS AND DAGGERS FOR A NICE DISPLAY. BEWARE OF THE DYE AS IT WILL COLOR YOU OR ANYTHING THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH BLUE(THAT IS WHY TUREG ARE OFTEN CALLED THE BLUE MEN OF THE DESERT)

SUPERFICIAL BROWN RUST IS NOT A PROBLEM ON THESE BUT ONE WITH HEAVY BLACK BUMPS AND SCALES WILL BE BADLY PITTED. MOROCCAN LEATHER SCABBARDS ARE VERY BAD ABOUT RUSTING METAL. GOOD LUCK

14th November 2007, 12:24 AM	#1
xerg Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 7	Need info ASAP, novice on ground in Tuareg country! Hi all, I usually would prefer to do a lot of exhaustive research about a new topic such as this myself, but as I currently find myself in Lome, Togo paying through the nose for sloooooooooooooooooow internet, I thought I'd entreat you all to give me some of the basics that you know. I'm interested in purchasing a Tuareg Takouba sword that I saw in a boutique today. It's listed at 60mil CFA (~130USD) and is in fairly poor condition. It looks almost -exactly- like the second one pictured on this site: http://www.he-artefakte.de/Afrika/Et...egwaffenE.html The scabbard is broken at the narrow part near the tip (and is currently affixed by a winding of orange thread which looks sorta cool). There is an obvious green patina from what I assume is the brasswork on the scabbard (it looks real, unlike a lot of the touristy pieces you see that are covered in light green paint). Also, the blade is VERY rusty. What's the general thought on rust? Is it better to leave it as is in the way you wouldn't refin a Les Paul flametop? Or is it ok to clean it up? If so, what would be the best way to go about cleaning it up? The salesman, a Togolaise man, suggested sandpaper but I think he just wants to make the sale. The blade has what I've gathered to be the traditional three decorative "fullers" and two half-moon/lighting shaped markings near the hilt (they're small-- a little less than the size of a dime). Other than that, though, the leatherwork is pretty nice and the blade seems to be pretty well attached to the hilt. I wish I could upload photos but, again, the internet here is terribly slow. What do pieces like this go for? I ask since the boutique is non-negotiable and I wonder if 130$ is a good price. I am currently living in the region and have had other offers that started WAY higher (on the order of 700-1000$) for only slightly better quality goods (although that's Tuaregs for you, always starting astronomically high-- I've never put in the time to bargain with them since the starting prices seemed prohibitive to me). It'd be nice to just swoop on this one if the price seems ok and if the blade might be able to be restored to some semblance of attractiveness.

15th November 2007, 05:17 PM	#3
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	At the risk of being sued by a bazaar stall operator, my advice would be to skip it. Takoubas are pretty plentiful at all levels of condition, and I probably wouldn't even accept one free in a heavily rusted condition if it weren't pretty clear that it was a truly old and quality piece. Tourist versions have been produced for many years. You can probably get a better sword in the U.S. at about the same price, without having to ship or drag it through customs.

15th November 2007, 06:09 PM	#4
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	HI Zerg, I will echo the words of Denee and Dom: always negotiate in that part of the world, and 130USD is too much for a simple takouba in poor shape. You can periodically find decent piece on ebay for less. In which country are you? Read this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000106.html you can find decent takouba's at half of what the boutique was asking. Regards, Emanuel

15th November 2007, 06:45 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	No haggling? I almost laughed ! He knows you are a visitor and you, likely, were too enthusiastic about the piece of rusty junk... Haggling is the oxygen of trade in that part of the world!!! Trust me: within a week you will find a better, older and cheaper Takouba on e-bay: there are tons of them!

16th November 2007, 01:43 AM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	ALL THE ABOVE ADVICE IS GOOD BUT BUYING ON EBAY IS NOT THE SAME AS BUYING IN THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AFTER A FIERCE BIT OF GOOD NATURED HAGGELING. I GENERALLY USE SEVERAL TECKNIQUES EITHER PICK UP A ITEM AND MAKE WHAT YOU CONSIDER A LOW OFFER NOT YOUR BEST BEFORE ASKING THE PRICE. OR OFFER A BIT LESS THAN HALF WHAT THEY ARE ASKING AND HAGGLE FROM THERE TO A REASONABLE PRICE. IF THE FIRST PRICE OFFERED IS SO HIGH ITS CRAZY I DON'T BOTHER. I FIND IT FUN TO BUY SOMETHING AT THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND ENJOY THE HAGGLEING ,YOU CAN BE SURE EVEN IF THE SELLER SAYS YOUR PRICE IS TOO LOW AND HIS CHILDREN WILL STARVE. IF HE ACCEPTS IT HE HAS MADE MORE SELLING IT TO YOU THAN HE COULD HOPE FOR SELLING TO A LOCAL. BEFORE BUYING BE SURE TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN GET YOUR ITEMS THRU CUSTOMS OF THAT COUNTRY AND AT HOME. BUY ONE OF THE DARK PURPLE TUREG ROBES AND HANG IT ON THE WALL AT HOME BEHIND SWORDS AND DAGGERS FOR A NICE DISPLAY. BEWARE OF THE DYE AS IT WILL COLOR YOU OR ANYTHING THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH BLUE(THAT IS WHY TUREG ARE OFTEN CALLED THE BLUE MEN OF THE DESERT) SUPERFICIAL BROWN RUST IS NOT A PROBLEM ON THESE BUT ONE WITH HEAVY BLACK BUMPS AND SCALES WILL BE BADLY PITTED. MOROCCAN LEATHER SCABBARDS ARE VERY BAD ABOUT RUSTING METAL. GOOD LUCK