Very old but simple takouba

[Iain]

This is an interesting sword I picked up the other week. Arrived in the post today.

Needs a bit of a clean for a few rust spots but overall in good condition, except for the leather which is dried to hell (normal for these).

It's rather short at 91cm, blade is 76cm.

The pommel style here is one that seems to be an older form, I've only ever seen it on swords that are dated 19th century or earlier. This example is iron (usual material) and has a repair on it, usual solder method. Small incised line decoration can be seen.

Blade is native made, plenty of forging flaws on display! But the flex and hardness of the steel is excellent despite the rough appearance.

Hilt is leather and brass, the leather design looks intentional, there is some wear on the edge but it seems intentionally cut rather than just having disintegrated off the brass. The cross guard is iron and from what I can see poking under the leather probably didn't have the full brass plate treatment at any point.

For me this is a nice example of an old, hard working takouba. Two swords with similar pommels can be seen in the ANHM collections that were acquired in 1905 from the Bornu region. The style of the blade and overall size makes me think it is quite possibly from the Nigerian/Cameroon area.

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi Iain,

I bought this one nearly exactly 3 years ago in flea-market in Maroua, capital of the Far North Region of Cameroon. The territory, I think, was still off the Bornu Kingdom in 19 th century. This example is relatively small (total 73 cms, blade 51 cm). The pommel was made of zinc-coated plate (?). I tried to clean it that time, it was coated with deep layer of rust, as it used to be. The blade is springy.

[Iain]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for posting your sword. That confirms my thoughts about where mine is from. Looks like a similar age even to your sword, although I have to say yours has a nicer fuller and is much nicer looking than mine.

The construction of the guard is identical on mine as well. So I think it certainly looks like mine should be from the same region.

I'm glad my guesses are getting better about locations!

I am always surprised how many beautiful and old takouba you have, please show more if you can!

Best,

Iain

[Martin Lubojacky]

Iain, please don´t be unduly modest. I have only two takoubas, or what I consider/call "real Touareg takoubas", and neither them, nor their photos are with me, now. And then - two swords from this "Takouba Family" - one of them posted now, one posted sometimes before. But the wider region of "Borno State and its surroundings" is full of various types of swords, which were already discussed here, too. But let me post separate thread concerning one type, which is very simmilar to Teda/Daza swords, but is much heavier and I think was used a little bit more to the south west. We can compare it with this Takouba Family on one photo.

[Iain]

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the kind swords. I really do like my new sword, it looks simple and a bit unrefined but it is probably the best balanced takouba like sword I have personally inspected and this included swords with European blades!

You bring up an interesting point about where we should apply the term takouba. Locally if we agree these swords generally fall inside the Bornu empire kaskara or more properly kasakar would be the local word in the Kanuri language.

I generally think the Tuareg/Hausa/Fulani/Bornu swords are in one family because we see very similar blade designs and pommel designs. For example here is a similar pommel on a Tuareg sword dating from 1830 - one that Louis-Pierre has on his website here: http://blade.japet.com/takouba.htm (near the bottom of the page).

I remember some other photos of your swords from this region - all iron and very heavy and thick blades. Many thanks again for posting your sword.

Best,

Iain

[Martin Lubojacky]

Thanks for interesting link !
Best regards
Martin