A nice kaskara

[TVV]

The blade appears to have 5 fullers, which is an interesting and uncommon feature. I also like the thick silver inlay. Per previous discussion in this forum, the crossguard is of a style attributed to Darfur. I wonder however about the hilt and whether it is a more modern replacement.

Regards,
Teodor

[mariusgmioc]

It is difficult to judge from the photos, butvthis appears to be a locally made blade.

[Iain]

Better photos would help, but the blade could be European with the later addition of the half moon marks in Sudan (notice how the one mark overlaps the fuller). However, it could also be local. Always hard to tell without better photos or the blade in hand.

The crossguard is of high quality and the blade decoration is an interesting departure for the more commonly observed thuluth acid etching, again better photos would help in this case.

Unfortunately I also suspect the hilt is a more modern addition.

An interesting piece, but I have some doubts the entire piece is homogeneous to the Mahdist period.

[CNK1]

Hello,

thank's for your comm !

I will promptly post new pictures of this kaskara, don't have the time and good conditions to take nice pictures....

For the hilt, it look like really homogeneous with the rest of the blade so it could be a later addition but I think really old ?

Best regards,
Clement

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Iain

Unfortunately I also suspect the hilt is a more modern addition.

An interesting piece, but I have some doubts the entire piece is homogeneous to the Mahdist period.

You have some Egyptian woodworks in Suakin exactly like the hilt.
To me it's all good, Sudanese hilt and European blade.
Very original and unique piece!!

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

You have some Egyptian woodworks in Suakin exactly like the hilt.
To me it's all good, Sudanese hilt and European blade.
Very original and unique piece!!

Have any images? I'm always happy to be wrong and certainly unusual ≠ 'fake' necessarily. But I'm a natural skeptic. certainly the hilt is not 'new' but i think the blade and cross guard pre date it.

I quite like the blade and it looks to display well. Certainly worth more research. Bits on the hilt look to be shell?

[CNK1]

Thank's again for your comm ! I just change picts which, I hope, are better

Thank's Kubur, I don't knew this area and this is a nice discover.

The little bit on the hilt are "shell's nacre", something unsurprisingly for a hilt which would be done in the red sea's coast area.

After all the blade and the cross guard can pre date the hilt, if the blade and cross guard were recycled of an older European sword and after trade in Africa isn't it? I've seen/read that was a common practice ?

Clement

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Iain

Have any images? I'm always happy to be wrong and certainly unusual ≠ 'fake' necessarily. But I'm a natural skeptic. certainly the hilt is not 'new' but i think the blade and cross guard pre date it.

I quite like the blade and it looks to display well. Certainly worth more research. Bits on the hilt look to be shell?

it should be mother-of-pearl
let me look if i find some pictures...

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

it should be mother-of-pearl
let me look if i find some pictures...

Thanks, on another look at the pictures I think I see a ricasso at the base of the blade as well...