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9th July 2017, 04:20 PM
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#1 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Black Forest, Germany
Posts: 1,204
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African sword?
A friend of mine brought me this item and wanted to know what it is. The blade and the grip are made from one piece and there are to plates of horn riveted to the grip. Length of the blade is 42cm, width is 5,5cm, weight without the scabbard is 674g. The sword is rather heavy and very solid. The leather scabbard has copper mounts.
My first impression was Africa, but as I am absolutely no expert in this field at all I hope to get here some informative comments Regards corrado26 |
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9th July 2017, 04:30 PM
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#2 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,806
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Scabbard stitching is not African or the guard. I do not think African, it looks Spanish colonial to me but I know little about that area. Nice rustic piece.
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10th July 2017, 12:19 AM
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#3 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,094
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I'm with Tim 100% on this one. Spanish colonial. The crosspiece looks spot-on to a naval dirk that I have that I suspect is Portuguese/Brazilian. Here's the old thread, the dirk in question at the top above the British ivory hilted piece. The horn grip resembles those found on espadas and that Brazilian cutlass I mention so often...
 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...5&page=2&pp=30 Last edited by M ELEY; 10th July 2017 at 12:29 AM. |
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10th July 2017, 12:34 AM
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#4 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,094
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Some other things we can surmise is that its at least mid-19th based on the nice aging/patina to the brass/horn. The nails holding the grip together are blacksmith made/early. A side sword perhaps for a mounted or foot soldier?
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10th July 2017, 10:36 AM
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#5 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Black Forest, Germany
Posts: 1,204
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Thanks for these very helpful answers - my friend will be very pleased to get to know where his sword probably comes from.
corrado26 |
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10th July 2017, 10:46 AM
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#6 |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,182
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nice sword, i also thought 'spanish colonial' when i first saw it. crossguard is much like my 19c espada, sans finger ring....
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10th July 2017, 07:18 PM
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#7 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,094
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Thanks, Wayne, for coming in on this one! A perfect example of the type of cross guard I was referring to. Glad you posted it and I didn't have to spend all day finding a similar example!
Mark |
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10th July 2017, 08:03 PM
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#8 |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,182
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de nada;
the full sword for the record: |
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11th July 2017, 11:31 PM
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#9 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,094
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Corrada, forgot to say that the construction of this hilt is classic Spanish colonial, being one piece blade/hilt with flat tang with horn slat grips 'sandwiching' the tang. Cool piece!
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28th July 2017, 07:05 AM
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#10 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
Posts: 2,094
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