Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 14th December 2006, 06:18 PM   #1
Congoblades
Member
 
Congoblades's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 171
Default North African dagger?

I have this dagger, don't know where it's from, first tought was something like Touareg. I think it's not very old but looks nice. The blade have some strange "stripes", the hilt is made from red & yellow copper, wood and alluminium? It is 29 cm long and the blade is about 4-5mm thick, any coment is welcome, thanks.
Attached Images
   
Congoblades is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th December 2006, 09:09 PM   #2
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,812
Default

A nice dagger. Surely western Sahara. It looks pre ww2. I have always assumed that aluminium was only widely used after the ww1 as that is when production really took off. I now feel certain that this metal was in use much earlier, the last half of the 19th cent. Especially when one looks at quality pieces which I believe this knife represents. Some people might argue that the use of this metal reflects an art deco influence. I feel the use is more related to luxury, rather than chrome and futurism. Therefore from an earlier epoch. What a shame it is missing a scabbard. Not every piece with aluminium will be old I might add.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th December 2006, 10:13 PM   #3
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,812
Default

I also think, that although this dagger originates from north of the equator it is not North African. In my opinion it is from the southern part of the Sahara, the Sahel and quite old. The French were one of the first to promote the use of aluminium. The similarity with this Hausa hilt, the knobs in particular are too close to ignore, a wide spread phenomenon throughout this region.
Attached Images
  
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14th December 2006, 11:13 PM   #4
katana
Member
 
katana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kent
Posts: 2,658
Default

Wow.....very nice dagger Congoblades. I have seen similar on eBay.....not as old as yours looks........but both were said to be Toureq. I think Tim might be onto something....many swords and knives from the North .....are described on eBay as Toureg.. ..even when they are clearly Baja, Hausa etc
katana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th December 2006, 06:15 PM   #5
Congoblades
Member
 
Congoblades's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 171
Default

Thanks Tim and Katana. Tim, the knobs are indeed close to your knive. I have not much experience with such kind of knives, I have one wich is a more typical Toeareg knive (a recent and toeristic one) and I see some resemblances to, not in the knobs but more in general, the way it is made. Indeed a shame missing the scabbard, maybe it would be more clear to see where it is from
Greets, Guy
Attached Images
  
Congoblades is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th December 2006, 06:19 PM   #6
Congoblades
Member
 
Congoblades's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 171
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by katana
....many swords and knives from the North .....are described on eBay as Toureg.. eg.. ..even when they are clearly Baja, Hausa etc
Katana, you are absolutly right about that, it's better to be a bit suspicion for what is offered on ebay and do you some research... before
Congoblades is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th December 2006, 06:33 PM   #7
Tim Simmons
Member
 
Tim Simmons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,812
Default

Hello Guy, have you got the book- Armes traditionnelles d'Afrique. {dagues,poignards,glaives,epees,tranchets et couperets} Approche regionale et classification technique, morphologique et esthetique. Tristan Arbousse Bastide. It is very good. It must be Toureg from the SW. I will post another knife latter. This could be a good thread.
Tim Simmons is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.