Owners of takouba and kaskara - a little help needed!

[Iain]

Thanks Lew for posting your kaskara - exactly what I was interested to see.

The reason I asked folks to show examples was because I ran across a reference in "Publications of the Princeton Expedition to Abyssinia" from 1910 regarding sword marks and their associated local value.

1. The "Rhinoceros-hoof Mahawl" is valuable. Its marks
are: three lines, a span long, above its pommel, and two
crescents with their openings facing each other, and also
the hoof of a rhinoceros. It is costly.

2. The "Running-stream Mahawl" however, has the lines
reaching to its point; it is cheap. Or, again, if one of the
lines is a little longer, and the two others are shorter, and
if the crescents face outward, it is [also] called the "Running-
stream Mahawl, and it is of little value, too.

Essentially it would seem that if the crescents face each other the value of the sword is higher - and thus likely to mean better steel etc.

I was intrigued by this because the only example I had pass through my hands with the crescents facing each other was an older Tuareg piece that had exceptional steel quality. And one I thought had a decent chance to be European.

So I thought it was worth seeing what else would turn up among the forums members.