Takouba with silvered hilt and European blade

[Iain]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Lovely piece Iain. The blade is certainly great, how thick and wide is it at the ricasso? certainly desirable. The blade appears to have seen some long use and lost shape due to resharpening or is it done purposefully?

I notice that the scabbard at the drag has an interesting patterned leather wrapped around it. Is it common? appears different then the more modern designs with green and gold colours.

There is always the chance that the hilt is of a low quality silver rather then silvered brass? will leave that to more expert members.

Probably this piece is one of the higher end of takoubas and in its early days it would have looked alot prettier then it is now :-)

Thanks!

1. Ricasso is almost 4mm thick at the base

2. Blade has this profile from repeated sharpening, although some tip reprofiling may have also taken place. It seems quite common on Hausa area swords.

3. The drag is metal and missing the tip, the scabbard is actually done in red and green leather, its just a bit faded on the green.

4. Definitely brass on there.

Heh I think its quite pretty now! Actually the point on the scabbard fittings is interesting, this pattern I have seen, including on Cameroon swords. Perhaps the hilt designs indicate a different ethnic group than the usual suspects (Hausa, Fulani etc).