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African traditional forms

Tuesday 14 February 2023, 04:30 PM • Milan

9

MONGO, Congo Kinshasa

Prestige knives

Estimate

€ 250 - 350

Sold

€ 333

The price includes buyer's premium

Information

cm 52
double shear lanceolate blade of forged iron with shaped ribs on both sides.
Wooden handle, two-position feature, wrapped with copper foil and drawn iron spiral.
Prestige object, name of origin: Nsoko

This is a type of knife popular among the various Mongo groups living along the right bend of the Congo River-Ngandu, Doko, Saka, etc.The shape of the blade varies according to the traditions of the indigenous smiths. The two-position handle served as an additional hand protection in warfare use.

Provenance

Pier Giorgio Cerrini, Bruxelles;

Literature

FISHER WERNER & ZIRNGIBL MANFRED A. “Afrikanische Waffen”, Passau 1978, pag.124, n° 121 (202);
WESTERDIJK HEINRICH “Ijzerwerk van Centraal-Afrika” Lochem 1975, pag. 90, fig. 15 (Gruppo VIII) (199);
BALLARINI ROBERTO “Armi bianche dell’Africa Nera” Milano 1992, pag. 67, n° 22, Galleria Africa Curio (276);