Identifying/Conserving a Kaskara from the late 60s or earlier

dbpro · 20th April 2024, 07:29 PM

I'm posting regarding a family heirloom that I would like some additional information on. From 1969 through early 1971 my father was posted in Asmara, Ethiopia. We went as a family, I was 4 years old at the time so I have some memory of our time there, but all of the information I'm sharing in this post is second hand. My father was responsible for maintaining electronic equipment in Asmara and in the surrounding region. His travels occasionally put him in contact with some local Masai tribes. During one of those trips, my father traded some goods--clothes that would no longer pass inspection, for example--for a number of native items, one example of this is the Kaskara pictured below. I'm providing all these details to underscore that the provenance of this item is fairly certain, i.e. it at least 50 years old and sourced in Ethiopia.

I've lurked here for a little while and read Ed Hunley's work on the Kaskara. Based on what I understand from this, my father brought back a Sulimani Daud. It appears to have a leather handle, with a plain pommel, and the scabbard is also fairly plain. As it passed into our hands, there is no metal tip protector to the scabbard. There's a lot of overall wear. When my father retired from the military, this sword went up on the wall in his bedroom and has received no TLC for over 40 years. The blade itself has a number of graphic etchings, most prominently the "man in the crescent moon" and the "fly". There is also an etching of a person's head in profile and what I believe is a lion of Judah. Happy to post any additional images, if needed.

Since I'm now the official custodian of this sword, I'd like to know more about it and conserve it better. The blade has some staining and what appears to be a little rust. The scabbard could probably use some help as well. That said, I'm not interested in doing anything that will negatively impact the integrity of the sword. I want to take care of it, not shine it up for display. I would appreciate any additional information on the sword and any tips around conservation for pieces of this type.

20th April 2024, 07:29 PM	#1
dbpro Member Join Date: Apr 2024 Posts: 2	Identifying/Conserving a Kaskara from the late 60s or earlier I'm posting regarding a family heirloom that I would like some additional information on. From 1969 through early 1971 my father was posted in Asmara, Ethiopia. We went as a family, I was 4 years old at the time so I have some memory of our time there, but all of the information I'm sharing in this post is second hand. My father was responsible for maintaining electronic equipment in Asmara and in the surrounding region. His travels occasionally put him in contact with some local Masai tribes. During one of those trips, my father traded some goods--clothes that would no longer pass inspection, for example--for a number of native items, one example of this is the Kaskara pictured below. I'm providing all these details to underscore that the provenance of this item is fairly certain, i.e. it at least 50 years old and sourced in Ethiopia. I've lurked here for a little while and read Ed Hunley's work on the Kaskara. Based on what I understand from this, my father brought back a Sulimani Daud. It appears to have a leather handle, with a plain pommel, and the scabbard is also fairly plain. As it passed into our hands, there is no metal tip protector to the scabbard. There's a lot of overall wear. When my father retired from the military, this sword went up on the wall in his bedroom and has received no TLC for over 40 years. The blade itself has a number of graphic etchings, most prominently the "man in the crescent moon" and the "fly". There is also an etching of a person's head in profile and what I believe is a lion of Judah. Happy to post any additional images, if needed. Since I'm now the official custodian of this sword, I'd like to know more about it and conserve it better. The blade has some staining and what appears to be a little rust. The scabbard could probably use some help as well. That said, I'm not interested in doing anything that will negatively impact the integrity of the sword. I want to take care of it, not shine it up for display. I would appreciate any additional information on the sword and any tips around conservation for pieces of this type. Attached Images