African knife? What country?

Freddy · 16th August 2006, 08:24 PM

Nice old dagger. I think this dagger is from Cameroon. I don't know the tribe, but there's something familiar in the way the leather handle has been made.

I own an African club which has its shaft covered with leather. There are also insets of other material (snake skin ?). I know this piece comes from Cameroon.

And here are some leather covered sword handles from Cameroon (the first two pics are from the Bali-tribe) :

katana · 16th August 2006, 08:41 PM

IMHO I am almost certain that is shark/ray skin, first pic
The loop on the scabbard looks to be the size and type fitted to arm daggers? Do you think that is the case?

RSWORD · 16th August 2006, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

IMHO I am almost certain that is shark/ray skin, first pic
The loop on the scabbard looks to be the size and type fitted to arm daggers? Do you think that is the case?

I wouldn't rule out the possibility this is lizard skin, possibly monitor. It has a similar texture/appearance as rayskin.

Lew · 17th August 2006, 06:20 PM

Gentlemen

I have a similar dagger which may be from the Dan tribe but I am not sure?

Lew

katana · 17th August 2006, 10:09 PM

Nice dagger Lew.....cant find any other examples of knives from the Dan tribe...all web searches seem to be about Masks and art work from this Tribe...which are mainly located in Liberia.
Thanks RS for your comments, it is differcult sometimes to identify skins purely from photographs.....age, colouring, tanning techniques and general wear and tear obviously can change the appearance. However, I have found close ups of a 'new' Ray skin and a 'new' Monitor lizard skin....I can see now that with wear etc how it could alter its appearance.
The first pic is of the Ray skin

RobT · 20th August 2006, 10:22 PM

Hi cannonmn,
You may want to check out the old thread "shagreen African"
Sincerely,
RobT

katana · 21st August 2006, 04:30 PM

Thanks RobT for the thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...agreen+African

......I wasn't wide of the mark afterall

16th August 2006, 08:41 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	IMHO I am almost certain that is shark/ray skin, first pic The loop on the scabbard looks to be the size and type fitted to arm daggers? Do you think that is the case? Attached Images

17th August 2006, 06:20 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Gentlemen I have a similar dagger which may be from the Dan tribe but I am not sure? Lew Attached Images

17th August 2006, 10:09 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Nice dagger Lew.....cant find any other examples of knives from the Dan tribe...all web searches seem to be about Masks and art work from this Tribe...which are mainly located in Liberia. Thanks RS for your comments, it is differcult sometimes to identify skins purely from photographs.....age, colouring, tanning techniques and general wear and tear obviously can change the appearance. However, I have found close ups of a 'new' Ray skin and a 'new' Monitor lizard skin....I can see now that with wear etc how it could alter its appearance. The first pic is of the Ray skin Attached Images

16th August 2006, 08:24 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Nice old dagger. I think this dagger is from Cameroon. I don't know the tribe, but there's something familiar in the way the leather handle has been made. I own an African club which has its shaft covered with leather. There are also insets of other material (snake skin ?). I know this piece comes from Cameroon. And here are some leather covered sword handles from Cameroon (the first two pics are from the Bali-tribe) :

20th August 2006, 10:22 PM	#6
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 535	Hi cannonmn, You may want to check out the old thread "shagreen African" Sincerely, RobT

21st August 2006, 04:30 PM	#7
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thanks RobT for the thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...agreen+African ......I wasn't wide of the mark afterall