Accidental collector - old weapons ID assistance (Yao?)

[Jampot10]

Again thank you for the comments posted. I find it really interesting that there are similar items about, this tends to suggest these are not one offs but a type specific to an area. Given this is it strange that these do not seem to have any formal identification ?
Or are they just so generic (simple) in style that they are a type that might have been used in various locations.
I guess as some have mentioned the key is the writing on the blades. I'm assuming this most likely to be a makers mark but maybe also a location or owner stamp.
I think this is what I will need to follow up - are there any linguists out there ?
These are the first knives I've owned ( purely through accident) but I can see already how this could become an obsessive hobby

[spiral]

It is strange, how little between us we know... There are dozens of these in existence, large numbers occurring in the UK.

You mentioned the Kaskara here Gav.

Would an advanced google search of just this forum for double searching terms, work?

linky..

But I cant find a kaskara in the thread..?

linky

& the one you linked to, is the same thread?



So I guess you either accidently got the link muddled or Ive mist another link in the thread where the Kaskara is shown?

To me the hilt looks , Dha from Assam?Burma?Thai regions, the riveted bolster looks NWF India, & the blade looks Burmese...

So I still guess Afghanistan to Laos, Tibet to Burma,

But it would be great if one day we can pin this down!

spiral

[Gavin Nugent]

Bummer Spiral....I did a two way link...well I thought I did...and I thought I linked the kaskara back to these threads too...when time permits...

[Emanuel]

Oh man, another one of these.

Google can search within websites by using the following syntax, then going to Images. It'll return all of the images from posts including the search word. This works with pretty much any website.

"site:www.vikingsword.com/vb kaskara"

I am still of the opinion that this is a North Indian / Assam / North Burmese piece, based on the bolster and the ivory handle. The circular motif is common to many different cultures around the world, and seen on the Bou-Saada daggers as well as on Afghan folding picks.

Here is an example from Akaal Arms without the circles.
Attached some examples of Tibetan knives that share many of the features of these knives (two if them from oriental-Arms) including the circular motif, and the non-integral bolster/ferrule.

Here is the last big thread we had on these knives

Regards,
Emanuel

[spiral]

Yeah that's a shame Gav..... Easily done though...

In truth the nearest blade on a quick search, I can find is this Burmese one...

Although yours is more advanced in fullereing, many similarities still I think?

From sold Items on your site...



original past sales link... linky

Although I have seen similar fullering on Tibetan, Nepali & also Balkan blades....

But riveted bolster that looks integral but isn't, Ive only seen NWF & surrounding area? As best I can currently recall..

spiral

[ariel]

Apparently, same knife is featured in Tirri's book on African weapons. Also, they are apparently exhibited in the British Museum with full provenance.
I did not check it, not my area of interest, but whoever wants to dig into it, is more than welcome.

[DaveA]

Another example of the dot-in-circle decoration. This one on a kukri from northern India or possibly Nepal.

By the way, if anyone can suggest a method to repair the missing bone surface you see (maybe it was once covered with a brass device?) I am very interested.

I have seen the dot-in-circle motif on Bou Saada Kodmi from Algeria, a folding lohar from Afghanistan, and a bichaq from Bosnia. I'll wager there are many more examples from all over the world!

Based on the hilt's pommel shape, I'll wager on the Tibet/Burma/Assam region.

Best,

Dave A.

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Emanuel & Lee.

Here is a round the world trip.

From blade markings in other links about these knives there is this Kaskara with similar blade stamps;
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/attach...id=94044&stc=1

For the Dao looking axes here is a very nice unmarked example with the sale collar;
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5759
With this knife type we discuss and that these things have carried similar marks, Ivory, Africa and circles brings me back to Africa, but wait there is more

Although not identical, the deep stamp markings are interesting on the Sudan dagger in post 15 by Lee
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111

Then I see Jen's post in 10 & 13
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3481
Which is clearly from India

So a short trip around the world, India or Africa...I still feel my bones Africa but British India certainly had the Tooling abilities to turn these out too..

Ponderous

Gavin

[Jampot10]

Pretty sure I've now managed to identify a provenance for these. Many thanks to Ariel who pointed out the direction of British Museum which helped immensely.

Looks like the blades are almost definitely East African - Yao tribe manufactured Malawi / Mozambique / Tanzania area.

I'll start a new post headed - Yao tribal Knives and put up my reasoning for discussion.

[Shakethetrees]

[QUOTE]

Another example of the dot-in-circle decoration. This one on a kukri from northern India or possibly Nepal.

By the way, if anyone can suggest a method to repair the missing bone surface you see (maybe it was once covered with a brass device?) I am very interested.
[QUOTE]


There isn't trick or shortcut. A piece of bone has to becut and fit, the circles and brass plugs have to be set just as they were done back when it was made.

[spiral]

To add to the confusion most of the Nepali tourist kukri that look like that, even those being sold in Nepal are actually Chinese made fakes... & were even 10 years ago...

spiral