Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 9th July 2017, 03:20 PM   #1
corrado26
Member
 
corrado26's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Black Forest, Germany
Posts: 1,164
Default African sword?

A friend of mine brought me this item and wanted to know what it is. The blade and the grip are made from one piece and there are to plates of horn riveted to the grip. Length of the blade is 42cm, width is 5,5cm, weight without the scabbard is 674g. The sword is rather heavy and very solid. The leather scabbard has copper mounts.
My first impression was Africa, but as I am absolutely no expert in this field at all I hope to get here some informative comments
Regards
corrado26
Attached Images
      
corrado26 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th July 2017, 03:30 PM   #2
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,734
Default

Scabbard stitching is not African or the guard. I do not think African, it looks Spanish colonial to me but I know little about that area. Nice rustic piece.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th July 2017, 11:19 PM   #3
M ELEY
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,066
Default

I'm with Tim 100% on this one. Spanish colonial. The crosspiece looks spot-on to a naval dirk that I have that I suspect is Portuguese/Brazilian. Here's the old thread, the dirk in question at the top above the British ivory hilted piece. The horn grip resembles those found on espadas and that Brazilian cutlass I mention so often...


http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...5&page=2&pp=30

Last edited by M ELEY; 9th July 2017 at 11:29 PM.
M ELEY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9th July 2017, 11:34 PM   #4
M ELEY
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,066
Default

Some other things we can surmise is that its at least mid-19th based on the nice aging/patina to the brass/horn. The nails holding the grip together are blacksmith made/early. A side sword perhaps for a mounted or foot soldier?
M ELEY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th July 2017, 09:36 AM   #5
corrado26
Member
 
corrado26's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Black Forest, Germany
Posts: 1,164
Default

Thanks for these very helpful answers - my friend will be very pleased to get to know where his sword probably comes from.
corrado26
corrado26 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th July 2017, 09:46 AM   #6
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

nice sword, i also thought 'spanish colonial' when i first saw it. crossguard is much like my 19c espada, sans finger ring....
Attached Images
 
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th July 2017, 06:18 PM   #7
M ELEY
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,066
Default

Thanks, Wayne, for coming in on this one! A perfect example of the type of cross guard I was referring to. Glad you posted it and I didn't have to spend all day finding a similar example!
Mark
M ELEY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th July 2017, 07:03 PM   #8
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

de nada;

the full sword for the record:
Attached Images
 
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11th July 2017, 10:31 PM   #9
M ELEY
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,066
Default

Corrada, forgot to say that the construction of this hilt is classic Spanish colonial, being one piece blade/hilt with flat tang with horn slat grips 'sandwiching' the tang. Cool piece!
M ELEY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28th July 2017, 06:05 AM   #10
M ELEY
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,066
Default

http://www.sonsofdewittcolony.org//a.../espancha.html

Some good source material.
M ELEY is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.