African dagger. Completely stumped

blue lander · 30th March 2015, 02:17 PM

An auction recently ended on two more of these, nobody bid on it. These have straight blades and the pattern on the hilt looks a bit different.

Shakethetrees · 31st March 2015, 02:05 PM

But why are the blades made of brass? It's such an inferior material for this purpose that surely it must be they were symbolic or talismanic, and not functional weapons/tools?

This is a question I've had for years since I found mine!

fearn · 1st April 2015, 11:57 PM

I don't know about parallel cultural development, but I do know that there are machine lathe tools that can produce that knurled handle pattern. I'd suggest common tool use, not some sort of cultural bond.

blue lander · 27th April 2015, 11:52 PM

The auction for this ended recently, I didn't bid on it. Is it perhaps related to this form? The hilt looks similar and the blade is copper

spiral · 27th April 2015, 11:57 PM

Well I vote your know the world expert or interested student on these...., so I think its you who need too tell us where & when there from...

blue lander · 28th April 2015, 12:11 AM

You're probably right, sadly.

My theory is that this knife is Moroccan because that's what most of the auction listings say. I also believe the knives came in sets of twos because you usually see them in pairs. I also think they've been making them for a long time, and the recent ones are tourist pieces.

So what were the original ones? I wonder if they were part of some sort of Sufi or Shiite self cutting ritual. Would a copper/brass blade be more hygienic than steel? Because of rust.

ashoka · 28th April 2015, 08:08 AM

although the handle could be from several places in isolation, without having seen the blade I would have said Mauretania. The form of the blade with that bit at the bottom reminds me of some Philippine bolo type knives... so it could be from there. They also have variations of weird blade shapes and angles as this one has. However the more recent one you posted from the decoration on the aluminium sheath cover etc pretty much Mauretania. So in my opinion it is from Mauretania... or the Philippines...

probably the former

30th March 2015, 02:17 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	An auction recently ended on two more of these, nobody bid on it. These have straight blades and the pattern on the hilt looks a bit different. Attached Images

27th April 2015, 11:52 PM	#4
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	The auction for this ended recently, I didn't bid on it. Is it perhaps related to this form? The hilt looks similar and the blade is copper Attached Images

31st March 2015, 02:05 PM	#2
Shakethetrees Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 363	But why are the blades made of brass? It's such an inferior material for this purpose that surely it must be they were symbolic or talismanic, and not functional weapons/tools? This is a question I've had for years since I found mine!

1st April 2015, 11:57 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I don't know about parallel cultural development, but I do know that there are machine lathe tools that can produce that knurled handle pattern. I'd suggest common tool use, not some sort of cultural bond.

27th April 2015, 11:57 PM	#5
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Well I vote your know the world expert or interested student on these...., so I think its you who need too tell us where & when there from...

28th April 2015, 12:11 AM	#6
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	You're probably right, sadly. My theory is that this knife is Moroccan because that's what most of the auction listings say. I also believe the knives came in sets of twos because you usually see them in pairs. I also think they've been making them for a long time, and the recent ones are tourist pieces. So what were the original ones? I wonder if they were part of some sort of Sufi or Shiite self cutting ritual. Would a copper/brass blade be more hygienic than steel? Because of rust.

28th April 2015, 08:08 AM	#7
ashoka Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 61	although the handle could be from several places in isolation, without having seen the blade I would have said Mauretania. The form of the blade with that bit at the bottom reminds me of some Philippine bolo type knives... so it could be from there. They also have variations of weird blade shapes and angles as this one has. However the more recent one you posted from the decoration on the aluminium sheath cover etc pretty much Mauretania. So in my opinion it is from Mauretania... or the Philippines... probably the former