Africa, Central. A Traditional African Sword

This sword incorporates a magnetic steel blade, with a semi-sharp edge and a dull tip, incorporating a wide spine, with a raised ridge in the centre and butting the fuller that runs two-thirds of the length of the blade. A label affixed to one side identifies it as a "RARE AFRICAN SWORD", the steel on the sword possibly a hybrid of European and African technology married together. The blade exhibits surface rust and wear throughout and measures 35 mm in width x 820 mm in length and is embedded into the handle that is composed of wood wrapped in leather, with three thin bands of leather on the exterior, the handle finished with a brass post that protrudes from it, with a ring at its base that butts the wood and supports a brass ball-like pommel with seven grooves that travels around its circumference, the sword measuring 930 mm in length overall. The accompanying scabbard has a body composed of a dark brown leather over a cloth base, all of which is wrapped around a wooden core. Much of the leather has been lost to time but the pieces that still exist exhibit the original embossed pattern and motifs used to decorate it. It is wrapped with three strands of leather at seven intervals throughout on the handle, finished in a long and wide beavertail-like style, the scabbard measuring 780 mm in length.