African Sword Id Help
 

Is there a way to Id african swords by the hilt shape?
Does anyone recognize this type sword?

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...62/Sword25.jpg


Thank You for any asistance
Alan

Hello. it looks like a Fang knife from the Cameroon , Equatotial Guinea and Gabon. Very nice handle in spite of the damage, alas I do not own one of these to compere examples :( , I suspect a couple of other members have. Tim

Thanks Tim

Just thought I would add a more detailed pic

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a173/Alan62/rs009.jpg

May be baule??
 

Very interesting and uncommon sword indeed. The cross shaped handle has some reminiscence to the Fang swords, but on the other hand, I do not see the rear pointed short protrusion on the base of the blade. The fang swords handles tends to be plain without much carving and usually bound with brass or iron wires. Also, the variety in the Fang swords is quite limited and they tend to look very similar.
Although I can not substantiate it, I think this one may be a Baule sword. The Baule from Ivory Coast in West Africa are known to be excellent wood carvers. and the variety of their blade is rather wide, so this may fall within this group.

Thank You O-A
I will look in that direction and see what I can find.