A Fine Sudanese Arm Dagger
A Fine Sudanese Arm Dagger
Fur / Nuba or surrounding neighbors
Khartoum / Omdurman, Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (Sudan)
Dated Hijri 1318 (1900 - 1901)
African blackwood, silver alloy, reptile and crocodile skin, tooled leather, steel
Blade: 23,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 36cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 37,5cm
Collection Date: 2016
Collection Number: 28
Ex. Late Lew Waldman: Fayetteville, New York, USA (2016)
A fine Sudanese arm dagger of great quality decorated in silver mounts. This style of arm dagger is typical of the twin Nile cities of Khartoum and Omdurman. The steel blade is double- edged with a prominent central ridge. On one side, engraved in Arabic is the city "Omdurman" with a hijri date of "1318," which corresponds to the gregorian calander year of 1900 - 1901. On the reverse, engraved in Arabic, the city of "Al Khartoum," with the same hijri date of "1318". Similar daggers date to 1899 through 1901 after the defeat of the khalifa, Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, and his Mahdist forces.
The hilt is carved from African black wood, bound with fine silver bound wire, and a decorated silver band around the pommel disc ending in a silver cap. The sheath is tooled red leather with crocodile and reptile skin. Missing its leather arm loop. A high- quality example of the type, dated and with the place of production.