Unusual dagger ?Philippines ?N. Africa

Ian · Yesterday, 06:55 PM

Thank you Tim!

I think you've nailed it convincingly. A repurposed bayonet, possibly a British Martini Enfield pattern 1876/95 Egyptian bayonet, remounted in Sudan or thereabouts and subsequently etched with these inscriptions. The British bayonet was around during the Mahdist period, so this dagger could have been made for a follower of the Mahdi.

I have to hand it to you guys and the archives developed by this Forum. There really is not a comparable public forum where I could have found this precise information within a few hours of posting such an obscure item.

Regards, Ian

TVV · Yesterday, 11:25 PM

The Egyptian army did not receive the Martini-Enfield until 1903, 4 years after the end of the Mahdiya. During the Mahdist Rebellion, the Mahdists captures Egyptian Remington Rolling Block rifles, with a yataghan bayonet. The British used Martini Henry rifles against the Mahdists, but I have severe doubts the Mahdists had the ability to obtain any through either trade or as trophies - it was the British who won the battles and collected trophies, rather than the other way around.

The hilt design on this very interesting dagger is entirely European in style. While there were a lot of trophies taken after battles during the Mahdist Wars, there seems to have been an even greater demand for such souvenirs than the battlefields were able to supply. In the past, we have discussed the possibility that a lot of the acid etched blade kaskaras with brass hilts may have been a product of a thriving post war industry. To me it sounds more likely that a British soldier stationed in Sudan after the suppression of the Mahdists had this knife fashioned from a Martini bayonet according to his own taste and added the etched thuluth to the blade as a memento of his service there, or maybe even of the Sudan campaign itself.

Tim Simmons · Today, 07:03 AM

Many parts of the world was awash with guns like the brown bess so these etched bayonet converted weapons are most probably part of the Mahdist armoury. However the example in question does appear to refashioned to European taste.

Ian · Today, 07:24 AM

TVV, Thank you for that insight into the adoption of Martini bayonets by Egypt. As you say, this may well be a memento of the Sudan Wars from the early 1900s. The etching on my knife is so similar to what appears on kaskara from the Mahdist period that I think it likely was done in Sudan by a local who was familiar with the old inscriptions.

Yesterday, 06:55 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,579	Thank you Tim! I think you've nailed it convincingly. A repurposed bayonet, possibly a British Martini Enfield pattern 1876/95 Egyptian bayonet, remounted in Sudan or thereabouts and subsequently etched with these inscriptions. The British bayonet was around during the Mahdist period, so this dagger could have been made for a follower of the Mahdi. I have to hand it to you guys and the archives developed by this Forum. There really is not a comparable public forum where I could have found this precise information within a few hours of posting such an obscure item. Regards, Ian

Yesterday, 11:25 PM	#2
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,730	The Egyptian army did not receive the Martini-Enfield until 1903, 4 years after the end of the Mahdiya. During the Mahdist Rebellion, the Mahdists captures Egyptian Remington Rolling Block rifles, with a yataghan bayonet. The British used Martini Henry rifles against the Mahdists, but I have severe doubts the Mahdists had the ability to obtain any through either trade or as trophies - it was the British who won the battles and collected trophies, rather than the other way around. The hilt design on this very interesting dagger is entirely European in style. While there were a lot of trophies taken after battles during the Mahdist Wars, there seems to have been an even greater demand for such souvenirs than the battlefields were able to supply. In the past, we have discussed the possibility that a lot of the acid etched blade kaskaras with brass hilts may have been a product of a thriving post war industry. To me it sounds more likely that a British soldier stationed in Sudan after the suppression of the Mahdists had this knife fashioned from a Martini bayonet according to his own taste and added the etched thuluth to the blade as a memento of his service there, or maybe even of the Sudan campaign itself.

Today, 07:03 AM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,932	Many parts of the world was awash with guns like the brown bess so these etched bayonet converted weapons are most probably part of the Mahdist armoury. However the example in question does appear to refashioned to European taste.

Today, 07:24 AM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,579	TVV, Thank you for that insight into the adoption of Martini bayonets by Egypt. As you say, this may well be a memento of the Sudan Wars from the early 1900s. The etching on my knife is so similar to what appears on kaskara from the Mahdist period that I think it likely was done in Sudan by a local who was familiar with the old inscriptions.