Anyone know anything about the markings on this sword?
This is a set of photos from a student I work with. Her grandfather gave it to her and said that his grandfather gave it to him. Unfortunately grandfather is no longer with us so we can't ask him anything about it.
A tuareg takooba sword, maybe
Scabbard and half-moon markings on the blade are reasonably similar to a tuareg takooba sword shown on antiqueswordsonline. See images below: note that the half-moon markings appear at the same place as on the sword above, where the two outer fullers (grooves) end.
From a general description:
"The typical blade tapers, especially distally, to a rounded point. The edges may be irregular from repeated sharpening, especially toward the tip. The method of sharpening leaves a roughly striated appearance on the flats of the blades adjacent to the edges [...] the usual narrow central fullers (grooves) running parallel to the length of the blade from the hilt often appear to be ground, having striations, and sometimes do not show the degree of pitting and irregularities otherwise characterizing the rest of the surface. The typical blade will have three such fullers, the central being longer than those on either side." (Takouba ~ Swords of the Saharan Tuareg - This site also has more images and of various types of takoobas and further references)
I submitted the photos to a dealer and he said the sword is, as Mario Elocio said, of North African make. He said it was made sometime between 1900-1950 and would be worth $100 to $200 on eBay.
