Old Tuareg dagger
 

A nice old Tuareg dagger from around 1900. Pictures are from the auction site.
Overall length: 38 cm. (15 in.)


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Hello Ian,

Nice Tuareg dagger but I doubt that it is old like this, I would place it in the mid. 20th century. Is it yours now?

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef,

It is slowly finding its way to me from northern England. The age estimate was provided by the auction house. I'll know more when it is here.

Regards,

Ian

Hello Ian,

We all know that descriptions from auction houses could be very wrong. I've handled some of these daggers before and never had the feeling to hold an antique example in my hands. Look also here: http://www.vikingsword.com/lew/w1147/w1147.html
I have a very similar example like the one from Lew, it's of very good workmanship but it's for sure not antique.

Regards,
Detlef

Hi Ian
I have a Tuareg tobacco pouch and the decoration looks very similar I will post up pictures later.
Regards
Ken

While I agree with Detlef on dating, this is a really attractive dagger that showcases plenty of craftsmanship.

Here's an example of a 19th century Tuareg dagger:

Attachment 232857

Description:
Finer and much earlier work than generally encountered, the curved horn grip inlaid with silver wire in delicate geometrical motifs, the pommel and ferrule of silver with engraved borders and the name AHMAD IBN BARAM in Arabic. The brass guard with expanded and pierced trefoil terminals. The handwrought, curved blade double-edged, with distinct central ridge and applied and engraved brass section to forte. Second half of the 19th century.

The dagger is really nice. nevertheless the dating by the auction house is not correct, I think. (I saw just made daggers like this in around the year 2000, which ofcourse does not mean that this is not much older..., but 1900 ?)
Martin

I will 'guestimate' that the original poster's dagger is from the 1970s. It is an attractive piece of work. When I traveled in the area around 2000, this was already an old style. Our guide cautioned that after five years, leather in that environment could look pretty old.