Dagger for ID (Answer to follow)
 

Heres an interesting dagger.
I'm not going to be keeping it, but I thought you all might enjopy a little game first, before it is off on its next adventure ;)
Having seen a few similar items over the years and wondered 'is it X or Y'? This one came to me with something that clearly IDs its origins....
So I'll see if you guys can guess, and once there have been a few opinions, I'll reveal all!

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...IM000015-2.jpg

You lot are a lot of fun, 32 views and no guesses ;)

looks like a corsican 'vendetta' dagger. always wanted one....

The scabbard looked N. African .. Taureg ?

LOL, Bloody hell Rick, thats the giveaway! How did you manage to see it? It was up for less than a minute before I realised I'd added the wrong pic and changed it.
What a blooming spoilsport you are ;)

Edit: Here's the pic that Rick saw which really gives the game away.
I do think it's an interesting form though and this is the first one I've seen with its scabbard.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...a/IM000016.jpg

Good idea! Yeah, I'd like one as well mate :(

shows why the sheath or scabbard is an integral part of it's provenance. i thought the grip was a bit off for a vendetta, the scabbard is distinctive tho. (if original ;))

my only touareg piece is a completely different style (and i'd guess a bit bigger with it's 14.25" blade)

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s...reg001_DCE.jpg

Guess, this knife comes from Mauretania
 

Hello , dear forum-member,

I am sure, that this knife comes from Mauretania. The grip shows a very typical inlaid work of white metal in shape of rings and loops.

Some years ago I bought an interesting short stick with a dagger inside. It was used as a pointer in a Koran-school in Mauretania and shows the same decoration: A black body of unknown material (perhaps a kind of horn) decorated with inlaid copper and white metal.

Kind regards,

Ronald

Atlantia, would you call that dagger called a Telek, or is that the generic term for any knife in the Tuareg cultural groups?

Absolutely, I've seen a few similar knives over the years and although time dulls the recolection, I think now that I've seen these before minus the scabbards described as of other origins.
The scabbard is a perfect fit, so definately the original and as you say it does show how much easier the 'detective' work would be if we could always see the scabbards!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...a/IM000029.jpg

Hi Ronald.

I am completely unfamiliar with weapons described as being from Mauretania.
Do you have more information that you could share?
Thanks
Gene

if you meant mine, we discussed it's origins in this thread which does mention it's origins are a bit broad & mauretania is not out of the question. the decorations look much like touareg ones i've seen on other knives, and jewelery attributed to the touaregs. it is a bit outside my area of collecting, so i bow to the more knowledgeable here.

Hi Bryan.
Well, I wouldn't call it a Telek to be honest. Mostly because I don't know what 'Telek' translates as? But also because when I think 'Telek' I only think of the classic shape and slight variations of it. This seems too far removed from that form to me.
Gene