A Very Fine & Rare Darfur Arm Sword

A Very Fine & Rare Darfur Arm Sword
Fur
Sultanate of Darfur (Darfur - Kordofan, Sudan)
Late 19th century (ca. 1870 - 1890)
Steel, rhinoceros horn, crocodile skin, leather
Blade: 44,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 64,8cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 64,8cm
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 391

Ex. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Private Collection

A rare type of Sudanese arm sword associated with the Darfur and Kordofan regions of Sudan. The steel blade carries some weight and is decently robust for the type. It is double- edged with a medial ridge. There is a pair of two shallow outside fullers near the chamfered edges. Decorated in fine zig-zag engravings from the base to about a quarter of the blade's length.

The hilt is carved from a large chunk of rhinoceros horn in the shape of a crescent, ending with a large spiked pommel. Coloration of a dark honey brown with fibrous structure. The sheath is embossed leather and crocodile skin, with a solid leather arm band attached. Part of the bottom sheath is missing.

Most examples collected tend to be from the late 19th century, specifically the 1870s through the 1880s. Very similar pieces can be seen in Dr. Wilhelm Junker's Travels in Africa 1875 - 1886, atrributed to Darfur. A scarce Darfur sword in great shape with only minimal damage to the sheath. It is one of the very few nicer examples rarely seen on the market.

[1] Dr. Wilhelm Junker: Dr. W. Junker's Travels in Africa 1875 - 1886; Bd.1, S.557 - from Darfur

[2] W. O. Oldman. “Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnographic Specimens”. List No. 74; Item #17 (17662)

[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1954-23-2500

[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-2674-a-b

[5] https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/263090

[6] https://www.quaibranly.fr/en/explore-collections/base/Work/action/show/notice/367632-epee/page/1/367632-epee

[7] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-99519

[8] https://oriental-arms.com/product/fine-and-rare-long-dagger-from-south-sudan-r-horn-hilt/

[9] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=2214

[10] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=8494

[11] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=8786

[12] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?darfur-dagger