Arm Dagger
Arm Dagger
Sudanese Arab - Beja or neighboring people
Mahdist, Sudan - Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (Eastern Sudan)
Late 19th - 1900 (ca. 1885 - 1900)
Steel, wood, silver, artificial stone, leather, reptile skin
Blade: 13,3cm
Hilt & Blade: 21cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 23,5cm
Collection Date: 2020
Collection Number: 123
Ex. American Private Collection
Ex. Cowan's Auctions: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (2019)
A fine arm dagger originating from the eastern region of Sudan. It was likely produced from Khartoum / Omdurman to the Ethiopian borders to the Red Sea coast from the shape of the hilt and style of the silver mounts.
The straight steel blade is double- edged with central fuller tapering to an acute point. A ricasso at the base with two engraved lines often seen on beja "X" hilt daggers. Below, stamped with a four- point marking often associated with the Mahdist period Khartoum dating this piece to around 1900 or before. The hilt is carved from wood wrapped in silver wire around the central grip. The pommel is decorated with a silver cap of filigree and a blue bead stone. Leather sheath with crocodile skin mounts. Attached with a leather braided arm loop. The filigree mounts are reminiscent of Yemeni silverwork and similar to Ethiopian and Red Sea decoration.
[1] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-67671
[2] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1961-07-1-a
[3] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=3001
[4] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=4608
[5] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=3951
[6] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=3787