Takouba with a forte.

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Lee

It will not surprise me if you discover no break hidden under the reinforcing plates. I have seen such plates on many takouba; the forte is the strongest part of a blade, so breaks there should not be anticipated. Perhaps the intent was as a stiffener, or to change the balance or to lengthen a blade by adding an extension. In any case it is a very nice sword. The mounts are probably mid 20th century and the blade earlier.

Hi Lee
Thanks for the additional info regarding forte. I assumed a high quality blade was made usable again this way after a break. The attached photo shows a piece of the blade, 23.5mm, in the forte, otherwise no seams can be seen on the forte.
The blade at the forte is 27.4mm wide and 4.8mm thick, the forte 27.9 and 6mm thick, and at its widest 28mmen 5.2 thick.
Regards
Marc

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Marc M.

Hi Lee
Thanks for the additional info regarding forte. I assumed a high quality blade was made usable again this way after a break. The attached photo shows a piece of the blade, 23.5mm, in the forte, otherwise no seams can be seen on the forte.
The blade at the forte is 27.4mm wide and 4.8mm thick, the forte 27.9 and 6mm thick, and at its widest 28mmen 5.2 thick.
Regards
Marc

Photo.

[Tim Simmons]

Perhaps another hand hold for what ever reason?. Nice and clean example.

[TVV]

There are indeed a lot of takouba with “sandwich” reinforcements at the forte and I doubt repairs are the main reason. I suspect it was used in cases where the tang may have been too short for it to be peened to the pommel or in some cases even decorative.

[Jim McDougall]

Teodor, I agree, and it seems these upper blade collars might even be some some sort of decorative or other added element as it seems one of the articles (possibly Reed 1987) even has a term for this...adabal.

It reminds me of the bolsters that descend down upper part of blade on Hindu khanda (basket hilt) and some other Indian swords.

On the blade cant see too well but remind me of the 'magical' symbols sometimes on French blades of mid-late 18th c. (Caissagnard,etc) ...possible candidate?

Nice example, more modern mounts as per normal traditional ways.

[Marc M.]

Thanks everyone for sharing their insights, learned something again.

regards
Marc

[Marc M.]

The desert swords presented.
Regards Marc