Kaskara?? Expensive to say the least.

[Will M]

I'd like to know the significance of this sword as at least two people did in this auction. Sold for £100,000

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...1-af5600c7cb89

[Battara]

Since we ask that you not make links to a picture but instead post the picture, I thought I'd help out here. I also cleaned up the picture.

I can see why it was a little expensive - the mounts are chased silver and gold koftgari inscription. I recognize the name "Allah" starting the sentence.

[ariel]

Unless the buyer could read the inscription and attribute this sword to some Sudanese honcho who was his direct ancestor and also had a VERY large stash.... sorry, I fail to invent another reason:-)

[colin henshaw]

Better photos...

[Drabant1701]

A very wild guess. Someone put a fancy 14th century mamluk sword blade on their kaskara. But hard to tell since the pictures are not super detailed.

[David R]

It is a very high class example, so I suspect it belonged to a very high ranked and searchable notable.

Bought by a museum or a very wealthy collector.

[colin henshaw]

More images. The calligraphic inlay looks like brass ?

[Norman McCormick]

Don't know if these through anymore light on the issue. With commission and tax more like 130K final price.

[Norman McCormick]

One more.

[colin henshaw]

There is an incised Arabic inscription on the steel crossguard, it would be of interest to learn what it says, as well as the calligraphy on the blade.

[Edster]

Exceptional Kaskara. The only qualifying personages during the Mahdiya would be the Khalifa or the Mahdi himself. I'm not aware of swords of either that have surfaced. The price is consistent with the best work of Ali Dinar's workshops.

The blade is ancient and imported. The cross guard has interesting lines where it may have been assembled and welded together, but the lines aren't where they should be, i.e. langets should cover the long pieces. It's good quality, but not nearly as good (flared ends) as those on Ali Dinar's swords. The silver cover on the grip is of a design unique to me.

Yes, Colin we certainly could use translations of the engravings and the cross guard as you noted. Note the "gold" dot at the end of the blade. Also, it wouldn't hurt to contact the auction house to see if more details, including provenance, could be discovered.

Ed

[Tim Simmons]

I cannot say that it is that impressive when you look at the file marks on the blade? Also the inlay is probably brass?

[Jim McDougall]

It is all about this blade, and with the sword's of the Sudan known as kaskara, we know that in many cases they, and their western cousins, the takouba, often carried very old and significant blades. Blades actually from the Crusades have turned up in takouba.

As Ed has noted, the swords of the Mahdi himself, and the Khalif, are not known, though obviously we know they existed, and a blade of this stature would of course be a good candidate for either. The profuse inscription in latten (inlaid gold metal) appears to be in 'Naskh' (though I have no particular knowledge of the 'pens' of Islamic calligraphy)....which resembles that seen on several swords which belonged to Ali Dinar, the last Sultan of Darfur. Images of these are seen in the late Tony North's "Introduction to Islamic Arms".

When I talked with Mr. North asking the disposition of one of these swords, with inscription laden blades similar to this, he told me the owner was in Malaysia and was unclear on exactly how to reach them.

This type of script is quite contrary to the heavily acid etched inscriptions typically seen on Mahdiyya period sword blades and other weapons, with this form known as 'thuluth' a more rudimentary 'pen' of the Islamic script.

This is a quite early blade as has been noted, the block ricasso indicates, and the gold color metal dot at the tip of the blade is a talismanic/magic (?) type convention often seen on these early Islamic blades (Yucel).

While it is stunning to see a weapon like this, clearly in a relatively common Sudanese hilt, and so vapidly described sell for such a staggering amount, it is clear this offering was well attended by well initiated figures who needed no detailed description, they knew exactly what it was.

I would venture a guess this went to an anonymous buyer likely in Saudi Arabia, as a first guess.

[Norman McCormick]

Not quite as expensive.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6065527

[ariel]

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Not quite as expensive.

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6065527

Norman,
This one was peanuts in comparison: an 8-fold difference:-)
The description of “your” example states that kaskaras were modeled after the crusaders swords. The problem with that is that crusaders never reached Sudan and the gap of ~ 600-700 years is way too big.
IMHO, they were modeled on Egyptian Mamluks swords, who had straight double-edged swords and actually owned Sudan. Even the crossguard is of the same rhomboid form ( see Yucel’s book)
Actually, Sudanese kaskaras served as a source for fake medieval European swords by British counterfeiters and were proudly exhibited on the walls of castles and taverns.
Just a thought…

[Jim McDougall]

Norman, a well noted example! and the attribution to Ali Dinar of course is very impressive. Actually as I mentioned earlier, he had it would appear a number of significant swords in his armory before he was killed by British forces in 1914.
These were of it would seem, some range, and I have owned one which was apocryphally attributed to his armory......however it is nowhere near the status of this example......likely more the likening of this type of hilt and overall style to 'of the type' Ali Dinar favored.

I think it has been rather a consensus that the Sudanese kaskara indeed did evolve from Mamluk broadswords, which had been maintained in the apparent conservative manner of the Mamluks. Actually, it is thought that perhaps the profuse 'thuluth' decoration on the weapons of the Mahdiyya may have been inspired by Mamluk artisans in Sennar. This had been an established Mamluk enclave prior to 1821, as this was where most of them had gone after their flight from Egypt in 16th century. It does not seem unreasonable that the Mamluk types of blade and mounting which was certainly brought with them would influence the form of the kaskara (as noted, Yucel).

Ewart Oakeshott noted in his references that many a worthy 'kaskara' had been dismantled when brought back from the campaigns in Sudan, many with European broadsword blades, often with the familiar cosmological symbols, and were remounted with newly made hilts of medieval style. In some cases, these may have been authentically medieval. This is why Dr. Briggs wrote his monumental article on European blades in North African swords (1965).


I added some pics, the first two are basically the type of kaskara hilt typically seen (in some variation) during the Mahdiyya (1883-1898) and the profusely acid etched 'thuluth' inscription. These are repeated passages from the Quran used in decorative style, often with other messages added in.

The next two are the kaskara style (often associated with Ali Dinar) which seem to have evolved at some just after the Mahdiyya and during the Anglo Egyptian condominium, particularly in Darfur. Note the heavy discoid pommel and capstan. While these are most often with silver lozenge design on grip, some like this are with crocodile hide, as seen here.
Clearly this example is worlds away from that Norman has shown.

Just wanted to illustrate these variances for those reading here.

[TVV]

Very impressive and interesting kaskara. The blade was definitely a heirloom one, as it has been inserted into mount at the forte, similar to some takoubas. The chiseled, gold inlaid floral decoration at the base of the blade is reminiscent of Ottoman 18th century work, so this is probably one of the oldest blades on a kaskara. It would be interesting if kwiatek or someone else can read and translate the inscription.

[Edster]

Ariel,

Actually, the crusaders did do a well documented raid in the Red Sea in 1182-83.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40000370
But, even though there were crusader battle trophies in Eqyptian museums, I agree the crusader connection to the kaskara is likely a Victorian marketing ploy.

The mechanical jammed wooden attachment of the kaskara's blade to the cross guard seems to me to be an innovation to the Mamluk method.

The Sennar (chisel) ends on some cross guards is a kaskara innovation over the rhomboid, as is the welded four part method of fabricating the overall cross guard. Unlike the cast cross guard preferred by the Mamluks.

Regards,
Ed

[Jim McDougall]

It would indeed be most important to have these inscriptions translated as this would establish more toward the dating of the blade by the context of the wording and other information. Clearly this is an important blade, which has heirloom connection as Teodor has noted.
While not necessarily the oldest blade from a kaskara, and may well be earlier than 18th century, it is certainly among the often extremely old blades which made their way into Egypt and Sudan.

Ed, your observations on these cross guards and the stylistic characteristics of these hilts are among the most important references toward the proper identification of kaskara's. The Fung influences from Sennar are indeed very notable with the flared terminals.

Well noted on the European trophy swords from the Crusades which were in Alexandria, and it is interesting that the Mamluks were largely the predominant Islamic forces during many of the Crusades. The Mamluks of course were the rulers in Egypt until their overthrow in the 16th c.

The comparison of the broadswords and mail armor seen by Victorian writers were of course romantically placed in the sensationalized accounts, and were taken quite literally. Ironically many of the blades, actually did have early European origins, and had been coming into North Africa from trade networks which brought them included with trade blades of early years.

[Richard G]

If it can be linked to the Mamluk arsenal at Alexandria, maybe through the inscription, then £100K seems about right.
Regards
Richard
PS. I bet the auctioners are still reeling!

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Richard G

...
PS. I bet the auctioners are still reeling!

Laughing and partying all the way to the bank. Not a bad return for a few minutes work. I've heard of someone who was expecting to pay a couple grand , and resell it at a profit. The auction listing just describes the inscriptions as 'a yellow metal', not gold.

[Kmaddock]

For those that did not see, the auction guide price was 200-400 Pounds
Happy Christmas to someone!!

Regards

Ken

[Battara]

Originally Posted by kronckew

The auction listing just describes the inscriptions as 'a yellow metal', not gold.

I've noticed that in order not to get into trouble, dealers and auction houses won't list "silver" or "gold" because they don't bother to test the material or have the testing kits. "German silver" and bronze when polished look like silver or gold, so they list the metal details ambiguously.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Battara

I've noticed that in order not to get into trouble, dealers and auction houses won't list "silver" or "gold" because they don't bother to test the material or have the testing kits. "German silver" and bronze when polished look like silver or gold, so they list the metal details ambiguously.

That is a very astute and well placed note. Those tend to make things complicated.

[Edster]

This is truly a mystery kaskara. The auction pre-bid price is about right for a fine, but not great kaskara. So the seller didn't think it was exceptional, likely unaware of its true provenance. Once seen by the major bidders its significance emerged, and they bid it far beyond even the best Ali Dinar types, the highest in Sudanese origin kaskara quality. What may the inscriptions tell us??

[ariel]

Is the potential provenance to Ail Dinar, frankly a minor personality on the world arena of the 20th century sufficient to justify the expense of 130,000 GBP?

Am I missing something?

[Jim McDougall]

That was the point I think, the Ali Dinar examples were just significant as a important in post Mahdiyya/ Omdurman Sudan. While relatively unimportant in comparison obviously to the Mahdi and Khaliph, he was quite important in the Sudan, and that's what this is about. Not just the precious metal possibility, but what the inscription says may be the explanation.

[TVV]

Until someone is kind enough to let us know what the blade inscription says, we can only speculate.

It takes at least two people to arrive at the hammer price, one of which may have been willing to exceed 100k GBP and another who was willing to pay an amount very close to that. So more than one person saw something very special about this sword and it almost certainly has to do with the blade.

It may be just me being ignorant, but I had not heard about this auction house before. It is not one that seems to specialize in arms and armor. For two major collectors or dealers to find this particular sword, sandwiched between lots of a 20th century military drum and a bottle of Johnny Walker from 2016 and bid it up this high is most unusual.

This all assumes the price displayed is correct.

[Tim Simmons]

I am going to sound really ignorant. I feel sure other members may have the same feelings. I have some questions. Why is it that such high status owner or owners accept such crude file work on the blade. Are we saying that prominent people, Sudanese rulers , have less atheistic views than other cultures? Without testing the yellow metal could well be brass . There was a very yellow low tarnish brass forget the name. Just seems odd to me that such crude work is seen as so special. Yes it has quite nice silver on the grip.

[Will M]

I would say the yellow inlay is gold. You can see some loss of the inlay, brass would be heated and stick better while gold is hammered in. Brass dulls and this is all bright. Gold has different shades:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_(color)
You can also have gold mixed with other metals. To me one bit looks as if it's peeling up suggesting it is quite soft.
Just an opinion, having it in hand makes discerning it's material more easily.