Takouba: European or African copied blade ??

[Mauro]

Thanks Jim, for your comments. I do not know other examples of this kind of design except that reported in Briggs and I would be happy to read the paper of Henri Lhote. Could you provide me the reference. I am also curious to see if they are associated with this kind of blades or with other types. Most probably you are right on this blade and it is a native blade with a copied design but I am surprised from the high quality of the details. I also ask if the triple fullered blade, although so common in kaskaras, could not come from Europe. I had a look to the book of Boccia & Coelho "Italian white arms" and I found that a triple fuller is found also in quite old blades. I add the scanned copy of three of them. Fig.272 an horseman sword from 1500. Fig. 298, an horseman sword from 1509, is again a triple fullered blade much closer to my takouba blade. Fig.497, a Schiavona 1620-1630, has also 3 fullers. Probably these type of kaskara blades have been already discussed in the forum but thanks again for your comments






All the best,
Jim