African knife? What country?

cannonmn · 16th August 2006, 05:13 AM

Please take a look at this discussion, with pictures, and let us know what country the knife is from, what it is called, etc. You are welcome to post your findings there-please do so.

Lew · 16th August 2006, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cannonmn

Please take a look at this discussion, with pictures, and let us know what country the knife is from, what it is called, etc. You are welcome to post your findings there-please do so.

I would love to but you need to post the picture first

Lew

cannonmn · 16th August 2006, 12:47 PM

Sorry this didn't make it into my initial post:

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.js...=1155702356808

katana · 16th August 2006, 01:49 PM

It certainly looks to be African.....the Sudanese area, probably a likely area...However, many knives and designs seem to be widely distributed in the North, due to trade routes travelled by nomadic tribes. The shark/ray skin is interesting and suggests a coastal area.....but then again the 'skin' could have been traded further inland and then used to adorn the knife....

After looking at it again I think it is an arm dagger, the loop is missing.

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, 05:13 AM	#1
cannonmn Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 161	African knife? What country? Please take a look at this discussion, with pictures, and let us know what country the knife is from, what it is called, etc. You are welcome to post your findings there-please do so.

16th August 2006, 12:47 PM	#3
cannonmn Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 161	Here's link to the pictures etc. Sorry this didn't make it into my initial post: http://forums.ebay.com/db2/thread.js...=1155702356808

16th August 2006, 08:41 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	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	#8
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	#9
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	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, 01:49 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	It certainly looks to be African.....the Sudanese area, probably a likely area...However, many knives and designs seem to be widely distributed in the North, due to trade routes travelled by nomadic tribes. The shark/ray skin is interesting and suggests a coastal area.....but then again the 'skin' could have been traded further inland and then used to adorn the knife.... After looking at it again I think it is an arm dagger, the loop is missing.

16th August 2006, 08:24 PM	#5
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	#10
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 486	Hi cannonmn, You may want to check out the old thread "shagreen African" Sincerely, RobT

21st August 2006, 04:30 PM	#11
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Thanks RobT for the thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...agreen+African ......I wasn't wide of the mark afterall