![]() |
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]()
I have quite a lot of Tebu type daggers all in the usual scabbards however this one has a fishtail design . Have other members encountered this , does it have any significance ?
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
|
![]()
I think this just is an alternate scabbard style.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
|
![]()
Yes I have seen a few of these over the years and are less common than the standard scabbard.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
|
![]()
THE FIRST OF THESE I SAW IN THE 1960'S HAD THE FISH TAIL OR THE REMAINS OF A TAIL. THE MORE RECENT ONES I HAVE SEEN NO LONGER BOTHER TO ADD THE FISH TAIL. SO IT MAY BE FROM A OLDER PERIOD OR FROM A AREA WHERE THEY STILL ADHERE TO THE OLD TRADITIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FISH TAIL ORIGINALLY STOOD FOR BUT THE FISH IS A OLD CRISTIAN SYMBOL.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
Cheers. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: switzerland
Posts: 298
|
![]()
hello together
here are my tebu Daggers |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
|
![]()
Here are two of mine. A dagger and a short sword.
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
Thank you |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
|
![]()
Yes, I also think it (fish tail) depends on era and the big role plays the area (clan or subclan). The Chregu´s dagger on the left is also very old (and nice !). Unfortunately, my "Sahel arm daggers" are a little bit more ordinary - see photo (only two of Tebbu style)
Regards Martin |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
Thanks Martin , very nice collection though ! |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London
Posts: 155
|
![]()
Just thort we'd chuck our five pennies worth into this thread with a picture of one of our Tebu's. This one has a nice age and a slightly different scabbard design than we've seen before. Incidently, the previous owner insisted the weapon was of North American origin; we of course tried to enlightend him but as an auctioner told him of its high plains history, we stood no chance!
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
Richmond |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#16 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
|
![]()
Came across an older thread today with another couple fishtail examples.
http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8079 |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#17 | |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
|
![]() Quote:
Thanks Iain ... excellent . |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#18 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,612
|
![]()
I am attaching another example with a fishtail to add to the database.
Regards, Teodor |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#19 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,612
|
![]()
While these are associated with the Tebu, they seem to have been popular around lake Chad among other groups. In Smaldone, there is a picture of "Hausa daggers" from the collections of the Smithsonian, including one with a fish tail scabbard. The attribution of course is somewhat questionable.
I recently obtained a copy of the 1985 catalogue of Central African weapons from the Ethnographic Art Museum in Frankfurt. While the book is literally just a catalogue of items with black and white photos, it is very useful in one regard: it provides notes on the date and place the items were collected. For the purpose of this topic, there is a dagger very similar to the ones in this thread, and particularly similar to the one shown by Chregu in post #8. It is described as Sultan's knife from Goulfey, with a local name provided as well:"mogheo te me". We also know that it was collected during the Duke of Mecklenburg's expedition in Cameroon in 1910-1911, which at least establishes these daggers as early 20th century, potentially even earlier. So, what does Sultan's Knife mean? Goulfey is nowadays a small town in Cameroon's far north, just South of Lake Chad. The German version of Wikipedia provides some information about the Sultanate of Goulfey, which prior to the colonization of Cameroon was a city state, vassal to the Kotoko Kingdom, which in turn was part of Kanem Bornu. Maybe these daggers were status items, or maybe the Sultan of Goulfey happened to give one to the Germans as a present, who knows. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#20 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 413
|
![]()
Hello,
Here are photos of my Tebu (Tubu) dagger from the Daza tribe in northern Chad and Niger, and a map showing the general location of the Daza. The forked tail scabbard is made of a combination of leather and snake skin. This design is fairly rare and a source (long ago) told me that the forked "snake tongue" scabbard is a status symbol reserved for those with the highest prestige. OAL is 14 inches. The blade is slightly diamond in cross section, with stamped markings and parallel linear design features along the sides of the blade that appear on both sides. - Dave A. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#21 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 413
|
![]()
Very useful information! The term "Sultan's Dagger" aligns with what a source of mine said. I've posted pictures and info of my own tebu (tubu) elsewhere in this thread.
- Dave A. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#22 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 413
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#23 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,715
|
![]() Quote:
nice knife! ![]() ![]() Regards, Detlef |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#24 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 413
|
![]()
Those are old, original pics. Rust is long gone!
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#25 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,715
|
![]() Quote:
![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|