Mandinka Sword — The Mansfield Collection

Mandinka Sword

Mandinka Sword
Mandinka
French West African Region - The Gambia Colony and Protectorate (The Gambia) - French Guinea (Guinea) - Portuguese Guinea (Guinea) - French Sudan (Mali) - Senegambia (Senegal - Gambia) - Ivory Coast
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1880 - 1910)
Steel, leather, brass
Blade: 65,4cm
Hilt & Blade: 79,4cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 81,9cm
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 281

Ex American Art Market (2022)

One type of sword of the Mandinka People spanning the vast region of West Africa. The example here with a curved single- edged steel blade of European origin. The blade having a broad central fuller spanning 3/4 length. The ricasso is stamped with an upwards arrow, possibly having its origins as a British light calvary saber blade as the stamp is similar to the "broad arrow" stamp or Board of Ordinance mark. This marking denoted the property of the British Crown. The stamp was used in various designs from the 1840s onward replacing the previous crown and royal Cypher in script form on the M1803 cutlass.

The hilt is composed of embossed leather bound with a stacked brass bulbous pommel. The sheath consistent in the same manner of embossed leather with decorative geometric lines and motifs, flaring outward toward the base. Two leather plaited domes are attached with a series of hanging plaited leatherwork tassles. A very good and old Mandinka sword with a European blade, used by a Manding warrior of higher status. Likely from around ca. 1900 in the Mali region of West Africa.

Photograph 21: A Mandinka warrior of French Sudan during the Colonial Exhibition, 1907.

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[1] Fischer, Werner. Zirngibl, Manfred. 1978 “African Weapons”. Page 22, Cat. 20

‍[2] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Page 40 (Info.)

‍[3] https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/238113

‍[4] https://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/weapons/index.php/tour-by-region/africa/africa/arms-and-armour-africa-26/index.html

‍[5] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-145955

‍[6] https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/119549

‍[7] https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/119548

‍[8] https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/121871

‍[9] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/316828

‍[10] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=8391