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Mystery Sword

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Mike W.:
My grandmother recently bestowed upon me my great-grandfather's collection of antique swords. Among the collection I found particular sword that was unidentifiable. The blade shape seems the match the Type Xa almost perfectly, though it's much thinner and has three very small fullers that only go up about 1/3 the blade. It also has a rectangular crossguard wrapped in leather, a grip that seems to be wicker wrapped, and brass pommel. Also on the blade are two moon like shapes. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on this?

Sir William:
That's very interesting as I sold one that looked almost identical to that one, right down to the stylized half moons on the back side at the terminals of the two short fullers- when I'd gotten it from someone else, I was told it was a takouba, and it generally conforms to that.  As for how authentic yours (or mine) is, I have no real idea.  Too short and narrow to be a Type X blade anyway- the entire sword probably measures out to be about 30-32" in length or thereabouts?

A wiki on the takouba:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takouba

Turns out its a Touareg weapon.  Mine had cheaper hilt components- seemed almost made of thin sheet iron wrapped around a frame with leather accents.  I sold it a couple of years ago- had a nice leather scabbard with tooled designs that fitted the blade perfectly.  I still thought it was a knockoff.

Mike W.:
I put it over my Albion Type Xa and the blades matched up in taper, width and length (though not thickness). It makes sense that it would be north african as it came with two 18th century shamshirs.

Mike W.:
I don't suspect it to be of any high quality or worth. Though it is at least 75 years old.

Sir James A:
The mystery seems to be solved rather quickly. Congrats on inheriting the swords.

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