Haladie: origin?
 

This is a haladie: a double-bladed Arabian dagger that was also popular (somewhat....) in India.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6610086411

The seller says that this research hails from Sudan.
Any opinion on the true origin? Quality?

The bone hilt shape and the thuluth script scream Sudan, at least to me. Its age is harder to verify, though.

Stone has a photo of a double bladed haladie similar to this one and attributes it to the Sudan.

n2s

I think this is most definitely Sudanese, but is it from the Mahdi period, I do not think so, it is also possible that these could be bazaar pieces from Egypt from the late 19th cent. When the etching is compered to sure Mahdist pieces these lack a certain vitality. Just my feelings. Tim

Here is an indian Haladie

http://www.ashokaarts.com/edgedweapons/ew-25.html

n2s