Takouskara

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

I remember that you wrote something like that about a shortened takouba, then I collected and saw several short takouba and kaskara and I disagree, some swords were just short, short swords, not for children, but for personal and practical reasons.

I was thinking like you about the pommel until I received the sword, the pommel is not added, it is one single piece of massive brass. I think you posted, or you have some takouba hilts with one single piece of brass, do you have an idea where they were made? I’m still struggling with the pommel…

I don't think shortened kaskara are made for the stage, I think some short kaskara with the lizard or alligator scabbards with sheet metal blades are made for tourists.

I have seen several swords that absolutely were modified for this. One was a takouba hilt on a replacement blade that was marked with the name of the theatre Many kaskara were also modified in Europe to have more "european" style medieval disc pommels. They appear in auctions sometimes, its really unfortunate but not uncommon.

I am struggling to see anything African about that pommel as well. yes, some takouba have solid cast hilts, but its usually done in one piece and in the traditional form. See the attached. Yours has a distinct guard, grip tube and then the pommel I think? or you think it was cast in one piece?

I dont' think I've ever seen a takouba with a pommel that was solid but not part of a solid cast hilt.

[Kubur]

Ok!

A last question, on the two swords that you posted: how the blades are fixed to the hilts?

The solar pommel is atypical but it doesnt mean that it is European... I wonder which kind of comments I would have received if the first sword posted was not published in Hales book...

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Ok!

A last question, on the two swords that you posted: how the blades are fixed to the hilts?

The solar pommel is atypical but it doesnt mean that it is European... I wonder which kind of comments I would have received if the first sword posted was not published in Hales book...

The first sword is atypical but its of a construction that's recognisable for takouba and kaskara. We can debate the exact region its from but with or without the Hale example its quite clear its in the same family as other takouba.

The shape of the second pommel of course doesn't mean it has to be European, I am also a believer that there are always unique examples... but its the overall construction as well as the shape. I would be happy to be wrong actually!

Good question on the blades being fixed to the hilts! Both those swords were owned by friends, you can see on the one there is a tang extending through, the second picture is another I used to own where there was some damage to the pommel and you can see there is a tang but it is not peened through the end, and a final one where there is a cast tang "nub" but no actual tang peened.

I think then its a mix, some of them are fixed using resin or some sort of glue and some are peened. All the ones I examined personally there was zero movement in the blade. The third option is if somehow they were cast directly onto the tangs...

[Iain]

One last point, even the brass pin in the guard of your example is odd, I have never seen this on any kaskara or takouba, again this doesn't mean it has to be a European modification but... as we can see in your first sword, typically even if elements of the form are different the construction method follows similar rules.

When you add the shape, the construction and the look of it together... that's why I think its a later pommel at the very least.

[David R]

I am inclined to see the second sword as a "bitser"or shotgun job, all or mostly original parts but not originally one item.
The reason for the gap between shoulder and guard would be because of using the original hole in the tang made when it first went into a Kaskara, and the original hole in the guard when it was used in a Shamshir of one sort or another.
Not all shamshir type swords are eastern, the type was often carried by bandsmen in the British army.

[Kubur]

Iain, I went on your great blog and I found a sword that has some similarities with the first sword posted (hilt and sudanese blade).
What do you think about it?

[Kubur]

More swords in between Ottoman, kaskara and takouba...

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Iain, I went on your great blog and I found a sword that has some similarities with the first sword posted (hilt and sudanese blade).
What do you think about it?

Besides the silver element I don't see that much similarity. Sadly yours is missing the guard to make a detailed comparison.

The sword that used to be mine was unusual for the decorative motif and had an extremely good blade, it was missing the silver on the top of the pommel. I believed at the time (and still do) that it was likely from modern day Nigeria and more to the west than more typical examples from Hausa areas.