Takouba like sabre

Lew · 1st May 2006, 10:23 PM

Tim

That is a terrible looking sword not worthy of such a fine collector as yourself

. You should mail it to me as quickly as possible and I will just have suffer with looking at it every day on my wall

All kidding aside it's a nice piece congrats! Just out of curiosity is it flat ground on the other side of the blade?

Lew

katana · 1st May 2006, 10:28 PM

Tim

The blade looks well made and 'heavy', do you think it could have originated in Europe?

Zan · 2nd May 2006, 01:30 AM

Hi,

Interesting sword. It is quite unusual for a takouba : the pommel is leather-covered, the blade is a sabre one and the leather on the scabbard and the handle is roughly assembled with thread rather than some kind of glue.
May it be some takouba-influenced tribal sword ? Or a tribal-influenced takouba ?

Here are two pictures of sabre-takoubas (not mine!)

Sincerely,
Zan

Jim McDougall · 2nd May 2006, 03:34 AM

Hi Tim,
These interesting 'sabre' type takoubas seem to come from the Burkina Faso regions around Ouagadougou....at least that is the provenance of the one illustrated by Zan (with yellow background). I acquired that piece a couple of years ago and that was what was indicated. These typically use military blades, mostly French or Solingen originated, and the guards are usually leather covered as the rest of the hilt, the bulbous pommel seems to coincide with other variations of swords from the Mossi regions. The example I have as shown by Zan has the typical Tuareg type pommel.
As Ariel notes, these really are fascinating items, and seem to date from around latter 19th century, though they may well of course be much more recent. These blades are often refurbished many times over.

Best regards,
Jim

2nd May 2006, 01:30 AM	#3
Zan Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montréal, Province of Québec, Canada Posts: 46	Hi, Interesting sword. It is quite unusual for a takouba : the pommel is leather-covered, the blade is a sabre one and the leather on the scabbard and the handle is roughly assembled with thread rather than some kind of glue. May it be some takouba-influenced tribal sword ? Or a tribal-influenced takouba ? Here are two pictures of sabre-takoubas (not mine!) Sincerely, Zan Attached Images

1st May 2006, 10:23 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Tim That is a terrible looking sword not worthy of such a fine collector as yourself . You should mail it to me as quickly as possible and I will just have suffer with looking at it every day on my wall All kidding aside it's a nice piece congrats! Just out of curiosity is it flat ground on the other side of the blade? Lew

1st May 2006, 10:28 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Tim The blade looks well made and 'heavy', do you think it could have originated in Europe?

2nd May 2006, 03:34 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Hi Tim, These interesting 'sabre' type takoubas seem to come from the Burkina Faso regions around Ouagadougou....at least that is the provenance of the one illustrated by Zan (with yellow background). I acquired that piece a couple of years ago and that was what was indicated. These typically use military blades, mostly French or Solingen originated, and the guards are usually leather covered as the rest of the hilt, the bulbous pommel seems to coincide with other variations of swords from the Mossi regions. The example I have as shown by Zan has the typical Tuareg type pommel. As Ariel notes, these really are fascinating items, and seem to date from around latter 19th century, though they may well of course be much more recent. These blades are often refurbished many times over. Best regards, Jim