Ian, to me the blade looks like a 19th century German trade blade. There were two general patterns - one with three narrow fullers and one like yours, with a shorter, wider fuller. It is also possible that it was made in Sudan in imitation of the trade blades, but during the 19th century those were exported in huge quantities due to their combination of price and quality. Of course, the hilt and the decoration would have been applied locally.
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