Sword for comment
 

Hi Guys,
Would like some opinions/constructive comments on this sword please. I would be grateful if somebody would be able to do a translation as well.

Thanks in advance
Darren

a nice Sudanese kaskara. Blade is probably locally made with imitation inscriptions in European style. The Arabian script appears to be acid etched, can read it if you take proper photos :-)

What the gentleman above me said. :) These swords are still made today. This one may have a trade blade but the inscriptions and designs wouldn't be European most likely. The themes present on the blade often seen on these swords (the snake and astral themes).

A nice piece. :)

Thanks for the replies so far. Have just tried to take some better close up photographs of the script. Apologies if I have the writing the wrong way up etc.

Hi Darren,

One thing you might try is taking a good look under the cross guard with a strong light, if this is a trade blade it might have a stamp on the base of the blade. This is often obscured by the guard.

Darren, this kaskara is a particularly nice find mostly for the blade with these significant markings and motif. These are well described in Reed, 1987, ("Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan, JAAS, Vol XII, #3, March 1987) where plate LV shows several associated examples.
I would think this blade may be from the early 20th century, and while it seems well made enough to be European, probably is of native manufacture. The motif on this blade includes the crescent moons and devotional inscription panel associated with the Lohr, a wooden board used by religious scribes . The moons represent significant cosmological configurations often relating to key times or events, and the snake represents the python (assala) important symbolically in native folk religions of these regions.

Certain of these markings are clearly imitating the face on European astral markings often seen on trade blades. The crescent moon within circle is distinctly mentioned by Reed (example d) and termed locally 'the old moon in the new moons' arms' and associated with events or symbolism as mentioned.

Interesting that this blade has 2 fullers .....single and 3 fullered being more usual.

Kind Regards David

Have just tried to find a stamp under the cross guard using a torch but nothing seen. I will try to clean this area and hopefully a stamp maybe under the rust there. Have just had a look through previous posts and apparently the lion mark is frequently seen on this type of blade.

Ain't gonna be European:-) The fullers are hand made and very uneven and crude. And the blade is flat and likely quite thin. African work.


Interesting how they managed to mix both European and native symbols ( with a Persian-inspired? snake on top). So many symbols must have been intended to indicate exceedingly good quality :-)
The crossguard is quite nice.

Hi Taffjones

Ariel is correct but there were some high quality native blades produce in the early 20th century. I also have a boys Kaskara with a blade that was dated back to the late 1600s or early 1700s. Here are my examples for comparison.

Hi Darren

Just echoing the others really, its a nice sword. Definitely one the better native made kaskara. The patterns and inscription are fairly typical for these pieces but you have got a pretty well full set :) I've attached photos of one of mine, which is of inferior quality to your blade and lacking the snake and sun, but otherwise has many similarities.

See also this thread for a translation of (most of) the text on my blade (although the thread is about a different sword - same text) http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10846


Chris

Salaams all ~ I often see multi and single broad fullers some highly decorated in script or floral geometry coming from Ethiopian/Sudani sources even rehilted on Indian, Saudia or others. Often these are the German trade blade variety with Luckhouse and Gunther lion and banner stamps on blades under the crossguard. It is interesting to see other Solingen styles of blade decor such as the Dukari Moons and the Andrea Ferrera mark. Here's a quote and further info on that extensive subject ~

http://www.yourphotocard.com/Ascaniu...ara_swords.pdf
Andrew Ferrara swords

Ferra’ra. An Andrew Ferrara. A broadsword or claymore of the best quality, bearing the name of Andrea Ferra’ra, one of the Italian family whose swords were famous in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Genuine “Andrea Ferraras” have a crown marked on the blade.
At Abbotsford, Rob Roy’s sword, once owned by Sir Walter Scott is marked Andrea Farara.
∵ My father had an Andrea Ferrara, which had been in the family about a century. It had a basket-hilt, and the name was distinctly stamped on the blade.
“We’ll put in bail, my boy; old Andrew Ferrara shall lodge his security.” — Scott: Waverley, chap. 50 page 149.

The blades had legendary flexibility – Andrew Ferrara is said to have carried one of his blades wrapped in his bonnet. Unfortunately, many are not genuine.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.