Origins of the Mandinka saber

kronckew · 2nd June 2017, 08:27 PM

just received this mandinka sword, this thread looked like a good place to post it.

4.5 in. grip, sheet steel guard. grip has a brass or copper spacer at the guard, a steel ring bolster and a leather covered grip sewn along the top and black laquered. pommel has a featureless copper disk (coin?) keeper under the peened tang. blade has a dark patination with some darker oxide areas and a few small pitting areas. blade is 23.25 inches long, 1.125 in. wide at the guard, 4mm thick at the guard, slight distal taper to 3mm near the tip. hammer marks from the forging evident along the blade. leather scabbard with traditional banding patterns, braided suspension cords and buttons.leather fringe tassels.

Jim McDougall · 4th June 2017, 05:46 PM

Very attractive example Wayne! Really displays the phenomenal leather work characteristic of these people. The stirrup hilt European style on this sword reminds me of quite modern examples of these seen still carried by some forces in coastal West Africa in conflicts in 1980s.The hilt on this one does seem much older, the examples I refer to were brass.

kronckew · 4th June 2017, 08:19 PM

Thanks for the comments, Jim, I wish the keeper under the peening were not smoothed off, if it is a coin. it would help set a lower limit on it's date of mfg.

2nd June 2017, 08:27 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,249	just received this mandinka sword, this thread looked like a good place to post it. 4.5 in. grip, sheet steel guard. grip has a brass or copper spacer at the guard, a steel ring bolster and a leather covered grip sewn along the top and black laquered. pommel has a featureless copper disk (coin?) keeper under the peened tang. blade has a dark patination with some darker oxide areas and a few small pitting areas. blade is 23.25 inches long, 1.125 in. wide at the guard, 4mm thick at the guard, slight distal taper to 3mm near the tip. hammer marks from the forging evident along the blade. leather scabbard with traditional banding patterns, braided suspension cords and buttons.leather fringe tassels. Attached Images

4th June 2017, 05:46 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,570	Very attractive example Wayne! Really displays the phenomenal leather work characteristic of these people. The stirrup hilt European style on this sword reminds me of quite modern examples of these seen still carried by some forces in coastal West Africa in conflicts in 1980s.The hilt on this one does seem much older, the examples I refer to were brass.

4th June 2017, 08:19 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,249	Thanks for the comments, Jim, I wish the keeper under the peening were not smoothed off, if it is a coin. it would help set a lower limit on it's date of mfg.