Accidental collector - old weapons ID assistance (Yao?)

[russel]

Originally Posted by Sajen

This one was offered by ebay but wasn't sold. Remarkable is that the handle material seems to be from hippo ivory. Pictures from the seller.

I had been watching this on too Detlef, and was just about to post the images myself, you beat me to it. I too noticed the Hippopotamus ivory. The scabbard construction, while by no means necessarily original, seems to me to be very African in style and finish.

Both the Hippopotamus ivory and scabbard tend to support an African origin as discussed above. I have wanted one of these, but like others had believed Burma/Assam to be the origin. My opinion is now starting to change - but I still want one.

[spiral]

Great stuff Sajen & indeed Jampot... well spotted!

Its obviously the same chap who brought this one back.



So I think the Yao/ Malawi finding of these is above reproach myself.

Just who made/sold them, is the last bit of the puzzle.

I still think the African trading Company could be plausible! But so could other Indian or British entrepreneurs, The to me seem a bit late in dating for them to be from Arab slave trade, but in truth I guess that carried on a for a long time, just as slavery still does today...

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[Sajen]

Yes, indeed, it seems that we all have been wrong with our believe of Asian origin for this daggers.

[Gavin Nugent]

GOLD STAR Jampot! Great detective work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

African gets my vote, I have seen this confirmed but I can't recall...Algeria?

Gav

I'll settle for a silver star

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

[spiral]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

GOLD STAR Jampot! Great detective work.

Quote:

I'll settle for a silver star

Bronze star I think Gav. Algeria as far away as India from Malawi I reckon!

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

Damn... hippo pegs! Wonder what the horn ones are?

Originally Posted by ariel

They were just discussed on a Russian forum Guns.ru

I thought they were SE Asian, but to my chagrin learned they were from West Africa, Yao tribe, Malawi. Apparently concentric circles are a dead giveaway.

Another Gold star for Ariel I think though...



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[ariel]

Thanks, but the Gold goes to my Russian colleagues who identified it. I was just a messenger.

[Richard G]

The good old Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford) never disappoints.
Regards
Richard
http://databases.prm.ox.ac.uk/fmi/iw...ne&-loadframes

[spiral]

Originally Posted by ariel

Thanks, but the Gold goes to my Russian colleagues who identified it. I was just a messenger.

Much research in the classroom is just finding a source. You've still got a gold star. despite you being a member of the usually English Self depreciating society.

But yes your Russian colleagues certainly deserve a gold star as well!

spiral

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Thor might have saved us all the trouble some time back as looking back each and every one looks hippo now that Sajen ponted this out....

I don't think that the hippo ivory is a good proof for the African origin, you can find this material in Malaysia, Indonesia or also the Philippines.
But the necklace Jampot have shown by link is a good one which was conclusive IMO.

Regards,
Detlef

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by Sajen

I don't think that the hippo ivory is a good proof for the African origin, you can find this material in Malaysia, Indonesia or also the Philippines.
But the necklace Jampot have shown by link is a good one which was conclusive IMO.

Regards,
Detlef

Indeed Detlef, I covered off ivory trade in an earlier post and how easily this point can be refuted but these other regions you note do not manufacture to these designs.