Kaskara?? Expensive to say the least.

[Will M]

I'd like to know the significance of this sword as at least two people did in this auction. Sold for £100,000

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...1-af5600c7cb89

[Battara]

Since we ask that you not make links to a picture but instead post the picture, I thought I'd help out here. I also cleaned up the picture.

I can see why it was a little expensive - the mounts are chased silver and gold koftgari inscription. I recognize the name "Allah" starting the sentence.

[ariel]

Unless the buyer could read the inscription and attribute this sword to some Sudanese honcho who was his direct ancestor and also had a VERY large stash.... sorry, I fail to invent another reason:-)

[colin henshaw]

Better photos...

[Drabant1701]

A very wild guess. Someone put a fancy 14th century mamluk sword blade on their kaskara. But hard to tell since the pictures are not super detailed.

[David R]

It is a very high class example, so I suspect it belonged to a very high ranked and searchable notable.

Bought by a museum or a very wealthy collector.

[colin henshaw]

More images. The calligraphic inlay looks like brass ?

[Norman McCormick]

Don't know if these through anymore light on the issue. With commission and tax more like 130K final price.

[Norman McCormick]

One more.

[colin henshaw]

There is an incised Arabic inscription on the steel crossguard, it would be of interest to learn what it says, as well as the calligraphy on the blade.

[Edster]

Exceptional Kaskara. The only qualifying personages during the Mahdiya would be the Khalifa or the Mahdi himself. I'm not aware of swords of either that have surfaced. The price is consistent with the best work of Ali Dinar's workshops.

The blade is ancient and imported. The cross guard has interesting lines where it may have been assembled and welded together, but the lines aren't where they should be, i.e. langets should cover the long pieces. It's good quality, but not nearly as good (flared ends) as those on Ali Dinar's swords. The silver cover on the grip is of a design unique to me.

Yes, Colin we certainly could use translations of the engravings and the cross guard as you noted. Note the "gold" dot at the end of the blade. Also, it wouldn't hurt to contact the auction house to see if more details, including provenance, could be discovered.

Ed

[Tim Simmons]

I cannot say that it is that impressive when you look at the file marks on the blade? Also the inlay is probably brass?

[Jim McDougall]

It is all about this blade, and with the sword's of the Sudan known as kaskara, we know that in many cases they, and their western cousins, the takouba, often carried very old and significant blades. Blades actually from the Crusades have turned up in takouba.

As Ed has noted, the swords of the Mahdi himself, and the Khalif, are not known, though obviously we know they existed, and a blade of this stature would of course be a good candidate for either. The profuse inscription in latten (inlaid gold metal) appears to be in 'Naskh' (though I have no particular knowledge of the 'pens' of Islamic calligraphy)....which resembles that seen on several swords which belonged to Ali Dinar, the last Sultan of Darfur. Images of these are seen in the late Tony North's "Introduction to Islamic Arms".

When I talked with Mr. North asking the disposition of one of these swords, with inscription laden blades similar to this, he told me the owner was in Malaysia and was unclear on exactly how to reach them.

This type of script is quite contrary to the heavily acid etched inscriptions typically seen on Mahdiyya period sword blades and other weapons, with this form known as 'thuluth' a more rudimentary 'pen' of the Islamic script.

This is a quite early blade as has been noted, the block ricasso indicates, and the gold color metal dot at the tip of the blade is a talismanic/magic (?) type convention often seen on these early Islamic blades (Yucel).

While it is stunning to see a weapon like this, clearly in a relatively common Sudanese hilt, and so vapidly described sell for such a staggering amount, it is clear this offering was well attended by well initiated figures who needed no detailed description, they knew exactly what it was.

I would venture a guess this went to an anonymous buyer likely in Saudi Arabia, as a first guess.

[Norman McCormick]

Not quite as expensive.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6065527

[ariel]

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Not quite as expensive.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6065527

Norman,
This one was peanuts in comparison: an 8-fold difference:-)
The description of “your” example states that kaskaras were modeled after the crusaders swords. The problem with that is that crusaders never reached Sudan and the gap of ~ 600-700 years is way too big.
IMHO, they were modeled on Egyptian Mamluks swords, who had straight double-edged swords and actually owned Sudan. Even the crossguard is of the same rhomboid form ( see Yucel’s book)
Actually, Sudanese kaskaras served as a source for fake medieval European swords by British counterfeiters and were proudly exhibited on the walls of castles and taverns.
Just a thought…