An Old Unusual CURVED, Single Edge, Taureg Takouba Sword
 

This Taureg takouba sword is from Ebay. I found it unusual in that it had a native made modestly CURVED blade and the scabbard to fit it. I have never encountered a curved blade on a takouba. I am assuming after seeing several variations of curved blades used against them the Taureg experimented with one of their own.

The blade is very roughly forged, single edged, with a wide fuller and carries the typical Tuareg blunted tip. The sword is razor sharp and well balanced. It lacks the well known half moon marks often seen on takouba blades. The hilt grip is woven leather and the pommel is no nonsense all steel discs applied in the typical stacked manner. The scabbard is typical tooled leather, and is either nicely decorated or was repaired in the center at some point.

The sword clearly has a great deal of legitimate age, so I don't think this is one made for the tourist market.

I am hoping perhaps Iain and Lee and others can offer more info about this takouba variation.

Dimensions:
Overall length: 37in.
Blade length: 31in.
Blade's widest point: 1.25in.

This should be from the Cameroon border region. This was sold earlier this year at auction with another (straight bladed) takouba and both have wound up on eBay.

I've had a few of these over the years and if I'm allowed I will post a link to where you can view a few others. :)

http://takouba.org/catalog/index.php.../curved-blades

Sword #90 on that link I posted on the forum a while back and is quite similar to yours. I like these, they have a nice feeling in the hand. The curved blades are a rare, but known element of takouba design. :)

Thanks Iain,

I knew I could count on you, but didn't realize how quickly!!! :)

Not a problem, a takouba thread is like water for a dying man in the desert to me. It's been a few dry months for me on the acquisition front with some other hobbies taking over more time. :)

Been a while since we had a good one appear on the forum!

To continue this interesting topic, the Hausa word for these should be Hankaltilo or Hindi or perhaps Bisalami which apparently refers to a curved sword of the 'Arab' type.

While to a Tuareg this would be a alguinjar.

There might be a Fulani element to these as well since they were active in pushing the takouba form into Cameroon as part of the Fulani Jihad in the early 1800s as far as I can tell.

Ian,

Would you date this one to the earlier 20th Century...earlier?...later?

Thanks again for your input.

I think the earlier part of the 20th century to mid. I have to admit I'm losing my touch for dating the specifics of later takouba, I've been too buried in trying to figure out how to heck to do it for the earlier ones!

I think we could say this for a few reasons, the condition of the dress, the stacked pommel style etc. The one I had before (image attached) I would put a little later due to the more crude blade and fresher leather. Could be even into the 1980s in my case!

I thought this might make an interesting addition to the thread. Just a new piece with a reused European sabre blade.