Latest kaskara for comment

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Mefidk

Hi Marc
I have a very similar sword (blade at least). I associate these fuller decorations with Ethiopian influence, and the blade I was always assuming is not locally made but a trade blade of some form. Like yours mine has a panel with numbers which is rather strange. The lion marks look identical between your blade and mine, also the decoration. I think these were therefore trade blades of some kind. Your hand marks are not present on mine and look like a later addition to me.

Some pictures of my example here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/phgeUZgdUYjMEXQS9

Apart from the blade the rest of the fittings and scabbard for mine are of lower quality, scabbard is also unusual in that it is plain and does not follow the usual patterns of other kaskara. The sword itself is on the smaller end of the kaskara scale.

So all in all I had attributed these to cross over between Sudan and Ethiopia, and not that old, very early 20th C. Of course I'm interested to be proved wrong though
Best regards,
Chris

Hi Chris,
As I had mentioned in my post (just prior to this one) these blades are trade blades made for Ethiopia (Abyssinia) from around 1880 into 20th c. by both England and Germany. The British were providing blades for Menelik into the 1930s.
The numbers were a feature which seem to have begun appearing on Solingen trade blades at the end of the century and may have to do with lot or pattern etc. As you have noted, the lion is virtually identical but placed in different place on blade, the point is it was a favored imbuement regardless of location. It likely varied by shop or worker adding it.

The 20th century assessment is of course quite reasonable as these swords remained in use, at least traditionally, well through the century. It is well known that the kaskara was in use in Ethiopia (Burton, 1884, Danakil) and in Eritrea. I once spoke to a Beja tribesman from Eritrea, who let me see a video of their tribal dance ceremonies with kaskara.

As you note, these hand marks are not a known makers mark, and may well have been added by importing dealer handling the blades.

[Mefidk]

Hi Jim
Thanks for the confirmation and the information posted before. I'm interested in the numbers - are the German blades you've seen matching this form of messy numbering on the ricasso?
The process of making them must be interesting. They are not machine created but appear to be raised out of an uneven depression in the blade. Perhaps deeply acid etched like the fuller decoration, but not neatly done. I don't see an easy way to make it by stamps in this form, but could be possible I guess.
I also wonder what they represent, batch numbers maybe. But it's really odd when you think of the way that blades and gun parts were usually marked at that time post manufacture, and why so visible and variable in placing.

Btw I have another kaskara with the Amharic etched in the center fuller very like the examples you posted. Again, this has a lower quality local made guard and rather plain scabbard, with a Hadendoa tassle.

For both these swords I'd attributed it to individual blades moving west, but now seeing Marc's example it suggests that these blades could have been more than a one-off chance. Perhaps more organised late 19thC/early 20thC trade with Ethiopia for suitable blades, hence the poor quality local made fittings and not the better type usually seen on older kaskara. But you raise the idea that these were Ethiopian made if I understand your correctly.

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Mefidk

Hi Jim
Thanks for the confirmation and the information posted before. I'm interested in the numbers - are the German blades you've seen matching this form of messy numbering on the ricasso?
The process of making them must be interesting. They are not machine created but appear to be raised out of an uneven depression in the blade. Perhaps deeply acid etched like the fuller decoration, but not neatly done. I don't see an easy way to make it by stamps in this form, but could be possible I guess.
I also wonder what they represent, batch numbers maybe. But it's really odd when you think of the way that blades and gun parts were usually marked at that time post manufacture, and why so visible and variable in placing.

Btw I have another kaskara with the Amharic etched in the center fuller very like the examples you posted. Again, this has a lower quality local made guard and rather plain scabbard, with a Hadendoa tassle.

For both these swords I'd attributed it to individual blades moving west, but now seeing Marc's example it suggests that these blades could have been more than a one-off chance. Perhaps more organised late 19thC/early 20thC trade with Ethiopia for suitable blades, hence the poor quality local made fittings and not the better type usually seen on older kaskara. But you raise the idea that these were Ethiopian made if I understand your correctly.

Hi Chris
I think the numbers are stamped in when the blade was red hot, if you look close you see a double print of the numbers. Problably the first blow was oneven or not deep enough so a second blow was made.
Greetings
Marc

[Marc M.]

A picture of the swords in the collection.
Greetings
Marc

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Marc M.

A picture of the swords in the collection.
Greetings
Marc

Im glad I could add information and thank you for sharing this.
Outstanding collection!!!! well represented pieces!!!

[Marc M.]

Hi Chris
I'm affraid i have that bug for more than 25 years and it is probably here to stay.
Greetings
Marc

[Jim McDougall]

Just going through notes, I found a reference to some blades made in Solingen for Cuban machetes which were by Luckhaus & Gunther from c. 1895-1900, and numbered at forte. There were several blades with numbers in sequence.
Perhaps blades going into Ethiopia (typically Harar) for kaskara, as the floral decorated examples might have been numbered in a similar manner.

[Mefidk]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Hi Chris,
It is well known that the kaskara was in use in Ethiopia (Burton, 1884, Danakil) and in Eritrea. I once spoke to a Beja tribesman from Eritrea, who let me see a video of their tribal dance ceremonies with kaskara.

Sorry I missed this - I did not know it was in use in Eritrea and thought that its use in Ethiopia was restricted to the Sudanese border regions and slave trade area.

This is something very interesting for me because I have been trying to trace the reason Emilio De Bono had a personalised kaskara. I thought perhaps commemorative of operations against slavers, but if it was in common use in Eritrea then maybe there is another connection.