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Post by ziggy on Oct 30, 2023 18:27:55 GMT
Hello everyone, I'm completely new at this so hope I am doing the right thing in the right place! I've attached 3 photos of the sword I am hoping to identify. I have inherited this sword and can't find any references for it online at all - I'm wondering if maybe it is a fantasy/decorative sword? If any of you experts out there can tell me anything about it or point me in the direction of where to look I would be extremely grateful. It would have been bought by my family member in New York some time between 1960 and 1975. Most of his other items are Japanese in origin but there is also a pirate sword in the mix so who knows?!! Many thanks
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Post by demonskull on Oct 31, 2023 0:02:30 GMT
It appears to be an African sword or dagger similar to these:
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Post by ziggy on Oct 31, 2023 13:34:18 GMT
That's really interesting, thank you demonskull. The hilt on the second from the right is pretty much identical to mine. Is there any info that goes with this picture? I've got my daughter looking into it too and she's having lots of fun going down various online rabbit holes 😂 She thinks from what she's found that it may be Congolese - does that seem right? Maybe I should repost in the African swords section - what do you think?
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Post by ziggy on Oct 31, 2023 13:36:49 GMT
Ha! Just looked and there isn't an African section - silly me, sorry
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Post by demonskull on Oct 31, 2023 16:45:01 GMT
While I believe it's African, I have no idea of who or where in Africa, it would have been made.
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Post by mrstabby on Oct 31, 2023 18:10:46 GMT
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFLJC_kA1Vg&list=PLVUFTEBQRptl8XGqu2qOfzvB857p5XJdo If anyone is interested, its a playlist therefore the link, about african weapons
EDIT: another -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZflrPuFjCQc&list=PLivC9TMdGnL-k2K9-FHpu2ahT0JmlO8fc&index=1
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Post by mrstabby on Oct 31, 2023 20:44:06 GMT
It could be a Bakatwa from the Shoa people in simbabwe, though there is only a german wiki article, it looks quite similar. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BakatwaProblem is the Bakatwa normally have metal wire wrapped handles. Daggers from the Basa people in cameroon seem also to have the weird needle tip but different blade. So probably somewhere from central africa.
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AndiTheBarvarian
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Nov 1, 2023 14:46:21 GMT
The second sword from the right in demonskull's picture has the same hilt as the OP sword. The next three have similar hilts at least. I googled a bit but couldn't find pictures of swords with those hilts. A picture search for bakatwa showed blades with this special concave tips but different hilts African tribes like the Yaka or Salampasu (Angola/Congo) have similar swords but not exactly this.
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alinkinthechain
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An avid learner of combat, medicine, history, and survival.
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Post by alinkinthechain on Nov 6, 2023 13:58:20 GMT
I couldn't do much digging into it but from the little that I did, it seems to resemble swords that were used by the Chokwe people in the DRC, Angola, and Zambia. The real interesting part is that the tip, which resembles the terminus of a leaf, isn't very common and serves more of a liability than anything practical on a blade that was made with pre-space-age steels as improper forging and heat treat will cause that to break of soon. While I cannot confirm it this may be decorative, but the overall simple aesthetic leads me to believe this was a warrior's tool.
Nothing about what I just said is concrete evidence. I am simply giving my opinion.
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Post by mrstabby on Nov 6, 2023 14:57:32 GMT
I couldn't do much digging into it but from the little that I did, it seems to resemble swords that were used by the Chokwe people in the DRC, Angola, and Zambia. The real interesting part is that the tip, which resembles the terminus of a leaf, isn't very common and serves more of a liability than anything practical on a blade that was made with pre-space-age steels as improper forging and heat treat will cause that to break of soon. While I cannot confirm it this may be decorative, but the overall simple aesthetic leads me to believe this was a warrior's tool. Nothing about what I just said is concrete evidence. I am simply giving my opinion. Look up "african loop dagger", used as a bowstring release by the Basa people, it has the same tip. Seems to be a common feature among some tribes.
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alinkinthechain
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An avid learner of combat, medicine, history, and survival.
Posts: 127
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Post by alinkinthechain on Nov 6, 2023 20:12:47 GMT
when I say "common" I meant among sword types worldwide
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Post by mrstabby on Nov 6, 2023 20:27:49 GMT
It might be a status symbol thing, the weirder it looks the better. I would also imagine it being pretty succeptible to damage, but some tribes seemed to like it this way. Even in a good modern steel this would't survive any rough treatment, which makes me think it wasn't primarily a weapon.
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Post by txhighlander on Nov 7, 2023 21:16:47 GMT
Do you see any rust on the blade? Curious if it's a high carbon blade, or stainless made to look aged. Could it be a tourist item or an actual functional sword
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Post by mrstabby on Nov 7, 2023 21:39:08 GMT
To me it looks like millscale. Also the grip looks quite uncomfortable to me. Do not misunderstand, I think it does not matter if its functional, its more like art, so worth would be subjective. And even a badly made sword can be deadly.
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Post by richierich on Dec 9, 2023 6:13:13 GMT
I have recently obtained this sword. I know nothing about it. Any information would be much appreciated.
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Post by madirish on Dec 9, 2023 16:03:50 GMT
I have recently obtained this sword. I know nothing about it. Any information would be much appreciated. you will need to add photos....and you are better off starting your own thread for this. Please tell us in which country you acquired it, too. Take a look at this thread on adding photos: sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/62174/add-pictures
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Post by mrstabby on Dec 9, 2023 16:41:39 GMT
I think this post was a mistake, richierich made a thread directly after.
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Post by madirish on Dec 9, 2023 20:13:45 GMT
ahh, missed that! Saw the post, but did not make the connection.
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