North or West African dagger for ID

Miguel · 19th May 2018, 08:35 PM

Hi Detlef,
I seem to becoming obsessed with trying to pin point the origin of this knife. Is it possible to provide clearer pics as my eyes aren't to good these days. Could you also confirm the construction of th hilt i.e. Just wood or leather covered wood, material of plaited band around centre of hilt also materials of scabbard and the decorated band.s at the chapel and throat, sorry to be such a pest

Regards
Miguel

Sajen · 19th May 2018, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miguel

I seem to becoming obsessed with trying to pin point the origin of this knife. Is it possible to provide clearer pics as my eyes aren't to good these days. Could you also confirm the construction of th hilt i.e. Just wood or leather covered wood, material of plaited band around centre of hilt also materials of scabbard and the decorated band.s at the chapel and throat, sorry to be such a pest

Hi Miguel,
like you I would like to know from where this dagger coming. So you can't be a pest!

I will post better pictures with many close ups soon as I have it in my hands, the seller was a little bit circular but it's on the way to me and will be next week here. But I think both, scabbard and handle are wood covered with leather and in up and down from scabbard and in the middle from the handle is sewn lizard or snake leather with sinew, that's what I think to see. But I will describe it again when I have examined it.

Best regards,
Detlef

Martin Lubojacky · 20th May 2018, 02:41 PM

Hi Detlef,

the small sewn on pieces of leather are neither lizard, nor snake. It is sting-ray skin.
Best
Martin

Sajen · 20th May 2018, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

..the small sewn on pieces of leather are neither lizard, nor snake. It is sting-ray skin.

Hi Martin,

thank you for correction!

Regards,
Detlef

Miguel · 20th May 2018, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hi Miguel,
like you I would like to know from where this dagger coming. So you can't be a pest!

I will post better pictures with many close ups soon as I have it in my hands, the seller was a little bit circular but it's on the way to me and will be next week here. But I think both, scabbard and handle are wood covered with leather and in up and down from scabbard and in the middle from the handle is sewn lizard or snake leather with sinew, that's what I think to see. But I will describe it again when I have examined it.

Best regards,
Detlef

Hi Detlef, Looking forward to your pics, thanks.
Rega do
Miguel

Sajen · 26th May 2018, 03:37 PM

In the meanwhile I've received the dagger and it's worked like supposed, the white spots on the scabbard has been wall paint, I was able to remove it unvisible. Ca. 33 cm inside scabbard, 31,5 cm without, handle 10,5 cm long.
It's a very nice worked small dagger, maybe not extremely old or early collected in a very nice condition after it has received a little bit TLC.
Here the promised pictures. Still hope that the exact origin can get identified.

Wodimi · 27th May 2018, 04:36 PM

Yesterday I noticed this ID request from Detlef. Here I can help. Your dagger is from Benin, former Dahomey and belong to the tribe "Bariba". They are located in the northeastern part of Benin and today around 1 million people. Some also to find in Nigeria.
Here you can find my examples, one short sword and two daggers.
www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340861/
and here
http://www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340862/.
There is also one old example in the MEG
http://http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/mu....php?id=009062 .
Last not least here some of this daggers in the Überseemuseum in Bremen/Germany and a map.
With the web links something went wrong, but I don't now how to do it in the right way.

Sajen · 27th May 2018, 04:56 PM

Hello Wolf-Dieter,

thank you very much!

I've searched on your site but seem to have overlooked your examples. Thank you again for your great help!

Best regards,
Detlef

Tim Simmons · 27th May 2018, 05:01 PM

Wolf that is so cool and you have such a cool name too, I am so envious.

colin henshaw · 28th May 2018, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodimi

Yesterday I noticed this ID request from Detlef. Here I can help. Your dagger is from Benin, former Dahomey and belong to the tribe "Bariba". They are located in the northeastern part of Benin and today around 1 million people. Some also to find in Nigeria.
Here you can find my examples, one short sword and two daggers.
www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340861/
and here
http://www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340862/.
There is also one old example in the MEG
http://http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/mu....php?id=009062 .
Last not least here some of this daggers in the Überseemuseum in Bremen/Germany and a map.
With the web links something went wrong, but I don't now how to do it in the right way.

Very useful information from Wodimi. Thanks for posting !

Miguel · 28th May 2018, 03:42 PM

Thank you very much for this info, Wodimi, I have spent hours searching without success, You have saved me many more and I very much doubt if I would have discovered the origin of this knife, brilliant.🙂
Regards
Miguel

26th May 2018, 03:37 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,588	In the meanwhile I've received the dagger and it's worked like supposed, the white spots on the scabbard has been wall paint, I was able to remove it unvisible. Ca. 33 cm inside scabbard, 31,5 cm without, handle 10,5 cm long. It's a very nice worked small dagger, maybe not extremely old or early collected in a very nice condition after it has received a little bit TLC. Here the promised pictures. Still hope that the exact origin can get identified. Attached Images

27th May 2018, 04:36 PM	#7
Wodimi Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 75	dagger ID Yesterday I noticed this ID request from Detlef. Here I can help. Your dagger is from Benin, former Dahomey and belong to the tribe "Bariba". They are located in the northeastern part of Benin and today around 1 million people. Some also to find in Nigeria. Here you can find my examples, one short sword and two daggers. www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340861/ and here http://www.africanarms.com/alle-alben/!/oa/6644101-121340862/. There is also one old example in the MEG http://http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/mu....php?id=009062 . Last not least here some of this daggers in the Überseemuseum in Bremen/Germany and a map. With the web links something went wrong, but I don't now how to do it in the right way. Attached Images Last edited by Wodimi; 27th May 2018 at 04:50 PM.

19th May 2018, 08:35 PM	#1
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	Hi Detlef, I seem to becoming obsessed with trying to pin point the origin of this knife. Is it possible to provide clearer pics as my eyes aren't to good these days. Could you also confirm the construction of th hilt i.e. Just wood or leather covered wood, material of plaited band around centre of hilt also materials of scabbard and the decorated band.s at the chapel and throat, sorry to be such a pest Regards Miguel

20th May 2018, 02:41 PM	#3
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 836	Hi Detlef, the small sewn on pieces of leather are neither lizard, nor snake. It is sting-ray skin. Best Martin

27th May 2018, 04:56 PM	#8
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,588	Hello Wolf-Dieter, thank you very much! I've searched on your site but seem to have overlooked your examples. Thank you again for your great help! Best regards, Detlef

27th May 2018, 05:01 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,745	Wolf that is so cool and you have such a cool name too, I am so envious.

28th May 2018, 03:42 PM	#11
Miguel Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 584	Thank you very much for this info, Wodimi, I have spent hours searching without success, You have saved me many more and I very much doubt if I would have discovered the origin of this knife, brilliant.🙂 Regards Miguel