Nice takouba sword for comments

motan · 1st August 2022, 09:57 AM

Hi Francantolin,
Really nice Takouba. I like the esthetics and the geometric decoration. I don't know much about them, but I do know a bit about birds (the avian kind). This is no Ostrich. There are more likely candidates. Perhaps the most likely is Black Crowned Crane - a common bird (in the past) of the Sahel and adjacent wetlands. I say this because of the long legs, upright body posture and the "crown".
I wonder why some benign birds like this are used as symbols on weapons. Jordanian and South Palestinians use the dove as a symbol. Anyway, this is my two-cents addition.

francantolin · 2nd August 2022, 10:05 PM

Thank you all for your messages and sorry for the late reply.
Thank you Ed for the five-khemsa esoteric or muslim symbol and a possible sudanese origin.

Yes Motan , I wrote ostrich- royal.crane on my first message, I saw what seems to be a stylized ''crown'' around the head .
Just an idea : the blade of these large takoubas and especially the tip looks like an ostrich beak
Massive ( 1,1 kg sword without scabbard ) unsharpened and large 15 first centimeters but then razorblade sharp utilise the tip,
Efficient ike an ostrich attack !

francantolin · 2nd August 2022, 10:11 PM

I wanted to share these pics: verso of the handle and ''zoom'' of the fullered part of the blade.
Maybe or maybe not european trade blade but nice quality

Kind regards

werecow · 3rd August 2022, 12:07 AM

Beautiful sword. Love your slightly awkward chicken (or ostrich, or crane, whichever it might be). }|<o)

1st August 2022, 09:57 AM	#1
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	Takouba bird Hi Francantolin, Really nice Takouba. I like the esthetics and the geometric decoration. I don't know much about them, but I do know a bit about birds (the avian kind). This is no Ostrich. There are more likely candidates. Perhaps the most likely is Black Crowned Crane - a common bird (in the past) of the Sahel and adjacent wetlands. I say this because of the long legs, upright body posture and the "crown". I wonder why some benign birds like this are used as symbols on weapons. Jordanian and South Palestinians use the dove as a symbol. Anyway, this is my two-cents addition. Attached Images

2nd August 2022, 10:05 PM	#2
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 831	Thank you all for your messages and sorry for the late reply. Thank you Ed for the five-khemsa esoteric or muslim symbol and a possible sudanese origin. Yes Motan , I wrote ostrich- royal.crane on my first message, I saw what seems to be a stylized ''crown'' around the head . Just an idea : the blade of these large takoubas and especially the tip looks like an ostrich beak Massive ( 1,1 kg sword without scabbard ) unsharpened and large 15 first centimeters but then razorblade sharp utilise the tip, Efficient ike an ostrich attack ! Attached Images

2nd August 2022, 10:11 PM	#3
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 831	I wanted to share these pics: verso of the handle and ''zoom'' of the fullered part of the blade. Maybe or maybe not european trade blade but nice quality Kind regards Attached Images

3rd August 2022, 12:07 AM	#4
werecow Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Leiden, NL Posts: 435	Beautiful sword. Love your slightly awkward chicken (or ostrich, or crane, whichever it might be). }\|<o)