Kaskara for Comment.

Atlantia · 2nd August 2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

Thank you Gene, Colin and Jim

,
I am very pleased with it....and it was quite cheap

I bought this from, of all places, a 'boot fair' .....for our non Brits....this is where you load your car with unwanted items, drive to a muddy field with other 'car booters' , set up a stall, wait for the 'customers' and sell your 'wares'.

Imagine my surprise to see this on display .....bearing in mind the current knife/sword laws in the UK

A quick unsuccessful haggle, had me walking around the boot fair without the sword.....left it for around 1 hour....went back with my final offer (well not really

, but he believed it was)... which was accepted. I got the distinct impression, that comments by others about the legality of sword sales ... worried the seller....and was very much to my advantage

Very much looking forward to further comments from the books of the 'Wandering Librarian'

Thanks Jim

Kind Regards David

Jeez you were lucky mate! I can't believe you went off and came back an hour later and it was still there????
OMG!

katana · 2nd August 2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlantia

Jeez you were lucky mate! I can't believe you went off and came back an hour later and it was still there????
OMG!

I imagine that few would know it was a 'legitimate' sword, I expect many thought it was a Chinese or Pakistan 'repo' . I didn't notice the makers stamp, till after I had bought it and got it home (due to dirt/rust) .....if I had..... my 60 minutes may have been reduced to 60 seconds

Best
David

Atlantia · 2nd August 2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

I imagine that few would know it was a 'legitimate' sword, I expect many thought it was a Chinese or Pakistan 'repo' . I didn't notice the makers stamp, till after I had bought it and got it home (due to dirt/rust) .....if I had..... my 60 minutes may have been reduced to 60 seconds

Best
David

Well, all I can say is WELL DONE MATE!

As someone who spends every sunday trawling every boot sale I can find I know just what a special day it is when you find something like this.
Its a real 'once in a blue moon' event! Good on ya bud.

Best
Gene

Valjhun · 2nd August 2009, 09:41 PM

That is a very nice example Katana! congratulations!

The hilt is extraordinary! Are you sure that it is not overcleaned silver? It does not look like silver, but such a nice workmanship would deserve it to be silver.

Kaskaras are becoming more and more popular over the years. Once there was a lot of them for sale on ebay, but nowadays it is quite hard to buy one, certaily impossible to buy a nice one.

In my collection i have just one kaskara, nothing in comparison to yours, and I've opened a new thread to show it. A new thread, because your sword simply deserves a separate thread.

WELL DONE!

TVV · 2nd August 2009, 11:53 PM

Congratulations David, this Sudanese saif is as nice as they get. I remember a thread by S. Al-Anzi a few years ago about the bazaar in Riyadh, where he claimed that the Clauberg blades with the knight marking were and still are the most valued blades of all. I would guess Clauberg blades enjoyed the same popularity in the Sudan as on the Arab peninsula - they reached both via the ports of Egypt and Cairo.
This would suggest that your sword belonged to someone with the means of affording such a valued blade, most likely someone of relatively high ranking, which is also evidenced by the nice hilt.
A truly great find! Regards,
Teodor

Wodimi · 3rd August 2009, 01:32 AM

Hello David,
first congratulation to this real fantastic Kaskara, a real treasure.
To determine the age it maybe help to know the following.
Wilhelm Clauberg AG, Waffen-&Stahlwarenfabrik in the Gasstrasse in Solingen, was one of the nine Solingen weapon makers. This manufactory was founded in 1810. First they had two marks, an arrow and a standing knight like yours. 1850 Cornelius Stürmer aquired a new mark, which was a "pipe" and up 1872 this mark was registred as Clauberg mark. So your blade must be before 1872, but I think it's before 1850.
I also have a Clauberg Kaskara blade. The interesting thing here is, that there a nice Takuba handle is mounted. It seems to be an original mounting, but never before I saw a Kaskara blade together with a Takuba handle. I try to post it next weekend.
I hope it helps.
Best
Wolf
www.spearcollector.com

Valjhun · 3rd August 2009, 08:12 AM

Maybe that is a Takouba with a replaced crossguard....

2nd August 2009, 09:41 PM	#4
Valjhun Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 692	That is a very nice example Katana! congratulations! The hilt is extraordinary! Are you sure that it is not overcleaned silver? It does not look like silver, but such a nice workmanship would deserve it to be silver. Kaskaras are becoming more and more popular over the years. Once there was a lot of them for sale on ebay, but nowadays it is quite hard to buy one, certaily impossible to buy a nice one. In my collection i have just one kaskara, nothing in comparison to yours, and I've opened a new thread to show it. A new thread, because your sword simply deserves a separate thread. WELL DONE!

2nd August 2009, 11:53 PM	#5
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,664	Congratulations David, this Sudanese saif is as nice as they get. I remember a thread by S. Al-Anzi a few years ago about the bazaar in Riyadh, where he claimed that the Clauberg blades with the knight marking were and still are the most valued blades of all. I would guess Clauberg blades enjoyed the same popularity in the Sudan as on the Arab peninsula - they reached both via the ports of Egypt and Cairo. This would suggest that your sword belonged to someone with the means of affording such a valued blade, most likely someone of relatively high ranking, which is also evidenced by the nice hilt. A truly great find! Regards, Teodor

3rd August 2009, 01:32 AM	#6
Wodimi Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 75	Hello David, first congratulation to this real fantastic Kaskara, a real treasure. To determine the age it maybe help to know the following. Wilhelm Clauberg AG, Waffen-&Stahlwarenfabrik in the Gasstrasse in Solingen, was one of the nine Solingen weapon makers. This manufactory was founded in 1810. First they had two marks, an arrow and a standing knight like yours. 1850 Cornelius Stürmer aquired a new mark, which was a "pipe" and up 1872 this mark was registred as Clauberg mark. So your blade must be before 1872, but I think it's before 1850. I also have a Clauberg Kaskara blade. The interesting thing here is, that there a nice Takuba handle is mounted. It seems to be an original mounting, but never before I saw a Kaskara blade together with a Takuba handle. I try to post it next weekend. I hope it helps. Best Wolf www.spearcollector.com

3rd August 2009, 08:12 AM	#7
Valjhun Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 692	Maybe that is a Takouba with a replaced crossguard....