Takouba with a Potentially Older Blade

Iain · 31st December 2025, 11:03 AM

A nice example almost certainly from Solingen. I'd stick with a 17th century dating. The clean condition is to be expected in a sword in later mounts, these blades were treasured, remounted, reground and maintained for centuries in relatively dry arid conditions. I've handled multiple blades of exactly this style and you'll be able to tell in the hand pretty easily from the steal quality if it's European.

Definitely hot struck blade marks meaning they were not native additions. Latten is also correct for the period, sometimes marks were filled locally but that was done with molten copper usually and a solid 'fill' rather than European latten work.

A nice solid sword and a good example of how these old blades kept being used and remounted.

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31st December 2025, 11:03 AM	#3
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,720	A nice example almost certainly from Solingen. I'd stick with a 17th century dating. The clean condition is to be expected in a sword in later mounts, these blades were treasured, remounted, reground and maintained for centuries in relatively dry arid conditions. I've handled multiple blades of exactly this style and you'll be able to tell in the hand pretty easily from the steal quality if it's European. Definitely hot struck blade marks meaning they were not native additions. Latten is also correct for the period, sometimes marks were filled locally but that was done with molten copper usually and a solid 'fill' rather than European latten work. A nice solid sword and a good example of how these old blades kept being used and remounted.