African Takouba with early(?) European (?) blade

[RSWORD]

Originally Posted by Philip

Can you provide basic dimensions of the blade itself -- length, width at forte, width just below the point?

I'm intrigued at what might be under those brass plates, from the photos there appears to be some "lumpiness" especially on one side. Wondering if their presence is more than merely aesthetic, especially considering the complete lack of decoration.

Hey Philip,

The blade is 31 3/4". It is 2" wide at the shoulders and remains 2" wide at the bottom of the plate down to just pass the fuller. Then it begins to taper down to the tip. The pictures are a bit deceiving. There is no lumpiness. The plates are fairly flat on each side with a side panel on each side connecting the plates and there is some solder peaking out from some of the separation this side panel now has. Can't really see the blade beneath the plate but the one section I can see from the plate/panel separation it looks normal.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by RSWORD

Hey Philip,

The blade is 31 3/4". It is 2" wide at the shoulders and remains 2" wide at the bottom of the plate down to just pass the fuller. Then it begins to taper down to the tip. The pictures are a bit deceiving. There is no lumpiness. The plates are fairly flat on each side with a side panel on each side connecting the plates and there is some solder peaking out from some of the separation this side panel now has. Can't really see the blade beneath the plate but the one section I can see from the plate/panel separation it looks normal.

Thanks for the numbers, Rick!

Here's an early example of the same style blade on a German "bastard" (hand-and-a-half grip) hilted sword ca. 1520-30. Blade is 36", width 1 3/4" at the hilt, and after all these years it is dead straight and pretty darn sharp. With this hilt it balances just over 5" ahead of the hilt, and weighs about 2 lb 4 oz so it's very manageable in one hand, and quite fast with the left hand helping it along. I can imagine that mounted as a kaskara, it would make a deadly sword indeed. The Belgian collector who had it told me that this style blade started appearing at the end of the 1400s as well. Hallmarks of the design are a pronounced though not acute profile taper, single fuller at the forte, and the remainder of the blade of flatttened hexagonal cross-section (the facets appearing very rounded on many examples due to wear and corrosion). The cross-and-orb blade markings seen here are German. Would be curious to see if there any markings under those brass plates on your sword! A wolf might even be lurking there...

You certainly pick up some interesting blades. Remember that thin, very broad Arab double-edged one that you found so many years back? I still wonder if it was actually of medieval origin.