Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


1070 - West African Hausa Arm Dagger with Sheath

This somewhat triangular double edged blade measures 9 inches (23 cm) in length and is thickest along the midline with the facets ever so slightly concave. The surfaces are bright with a texture residual from forging and occasional forging flaws and also scattered old corrosive discoloration. The wood hilt is covered with embossed dark brown to black leather with slight fraying at the tips of the pommel 'horns'. The sheath is covered by dark-brown to black, red-brown and tan leather with cut out and stitched decoration. Am arm band attaches on the display face and runs back around the mouth of the scabbard. Lew dated this example to the mid 20th century. Overall sheathed length is 13¾ inches (35 cm) with a weight of 6.3 ounces (179 grams).




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