[Marc M.]

Greetings everyone
I am a new member of this forum, but knows and uses it for years if my library fails.
Collecting African objects for the last 28 years, mostly weapons and currency's
from central Africa and west Africa. I bought my first Takouba 15 years ago after visiting
an exposition about the Tuareg in the Tervuren museum in Belgium.
Fascinated since then, they did not seems to cross my path, until recently, I bought 2 Takouba’s and my first Kaskara.
The first Takouba is the one I bought 15 years ago and is of low quality. (photo j, k, l)
The blade is of poor quality with crude half-moon markings, Tuareg origin. Blade is flexible and sharp.
The second Takouba has what I believe a European military blade, and to what I have found of north Cameroon origin (Fulani). Strong, stiff blade, single edge and not so sharp. (photo g, h, i)
The third Takouba has a strong stiff blade, sharpened a lot, and no markings. Solid cast hilt and older mounts, perhaps from around north Cameroon. (photo d, e, f)
The Kaskara is my first one, stiff blade with some nicks in the edges (used in battle?), the disk pommel is missing and some of the handle wrapping in also missing. Cross gard is well made. (photo a, b, c)
The scabbard is odd and resemble a Takouba (97) in Ian Norman’s Takouba research society.
The scabbard has a small flare tip. The texture off the blade is somewhat different and the circle marking is
a bit strange as well.
I am by no means an expert but just an enthusiast modest collector so any thoughts or info on these swords are more than welcome.

Best regards
Marc