Sudanese Chieftain Triple Dagger Crocodile Sheath
Sudanese Chieftain Triple Dagger Crocodile Sheath
Fur or surrounding neighbors
Likely Omdurman - Khartoum, Mahdist Sudan - Anglo- Egyptian, Sudan (Sudan)
Late 19th century: (ca. 1880 - 1900)
Iron, steel, ebony, African blackwood, crocodile skin, reptile skin, brass
Blades:
Side Daggers: 36,8cm
Center Knife: 25,4cm
Hilt & Blade:
Side Daggers: 54,6cm
Center Knife: 36,8cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 61cm
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number: 231
From the Wallace Guslar Collection: Williamsburg, Virginia, USA (2021)
(Renowned colonial gunsmith)
A Sudanese triple dagger set housed within a crocodile sheath. Popular during the Mahdist uprisings across Sudan during the late 19th century. They were hung around the neck of chiefs and were used for talismanics and ceremonial risings before going into battle. In form and style, attributed to the Fur People whose forces along with the Baggara, Beja, and other Sudanese Arabs were the backbone of the Mahdist movement that eventually captured the capital.
This example probably originates from the twin Nile cities of Omdurman or Khartoum, Sudan. After the war campaign in 1898, they were then sold to British and foreign tourists as "exotic" items in the city markets along with captured Mahdist trophies from the Battle of Omdurman. Likely dated to around 1900 or shortly beforehand.
This large set consists of three daggers. The side daggers are curved double- edged iron sheet metal blades with acid- etched thuluth calligraphy mounted on ebony hilts with brass wire wrappings on the center grips. The middle dagger is a typical Sudanese style arm dagger, though with larger proportions and very good quality. The double- edged steel blade has a deep central fuller. The ricasso has an engraved stamp of four marks in a square formation. Hilt of African blackwood with iron wire bindings. All three daggers are marked "W. Guslar" on the hilts near the blades. The sheath is crocodile and reptile (monitor) skin.
Sudanese crocodile sets are found in many variations of differing qualities. This example is above average for the type with provenance from the late Mr. Wallace Guslar Collection.
[1] ES Thomas: Catalog of the ethnographical museum of the Royal Geographical Society of Egypt. 1924. pgs. 56, 57, fig. 163
[2] Meinhof, Carl. 1914. “A study trip to Kordofan”. Pg. 63, fig. 43 coll.
[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1936-0508-7-a
[4] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?arfur-tripple-dagger-48-cm
[5] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?sudan-ceremonial-dagger-57-cm
[6] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?curved-mahdist-dagger-41-5-cm
[7] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?unusual-big-mahdist-dagger-58-5-cm
[9] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16476&highlight=three-dagger+sets