A dagger from the Prince Alexander Mountains, now in my collection.

YET ANOTHER RECENT DESIGN LOOKS MORE INDONESIAN OR BUGIS THAN NEW GUINEA BUT INFLUENCES ARE WIDESPREAD VIA TV. SO ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. :rolleyes: 31CM LONG

A Sepik dagger with scabbard.

Just win this nice Asmat crocodile jaw bone dagger.

What a fantastic thread this has turned out to be. Detlef, I have just noticed your Prince Alexander Mountians dagger. Very helpful as I have this staff that needed some sort of identification. I do not think it is a tourist piece as when I got it, it was covered in a red powder {red ochre} like red powder paint. You could not touch it without getting the powder all over yourself, not what a holiday maker wants? It is not the first item from PNG that I have covered in red powder. I have a pumice stone club that is also very messy to touch. You can see I removed the powder on this staff. A wife and a very messy red powder staining silly man thing do not mix :shrug: Love the crocodile dagger.

ITS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I VISITED THIS POST BUT IT HAS TURNED OUT WELL. DETLEF I REALLY LIKE YOUR CROCODILE JAW DAGGER IT IS THE BEST I HAVE SEEN. TIM I LIKE THE STAFF YOU HAVE AS WELL NICELY CARVED AND UNUSUAL WITH THE SMILING FACE AND SERIOUS FACE AT THE TOP. CONGRADULATIONS TO YOU BOTH. :D
I TOO HAVE FOUND RED POWDER AS WELL AS WHITE POWDER ON SOME ITEMS IN THE PAST. I EITHER CAREFULLY REMOVE IT OR SEAL IT WITH HAIRSPRAY DEPENDING ON THE ITEM. THIS MAY BE UNECESSARY BUT I LIKE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY WHEN DEALING WITH UNKNOWN SUBSTANCES. RED, YELLOW AND OTHER COLORS OF OCRE ARE NOT HAZARDOUS BUT THE MAYANS AND SOME OTHERS WERE FOND OF USING A RED POWDER MADE OF MERCURY ORE TO DUST TOMBS AND THINGS. IN EGYPT HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES WERE USED IN TOMBS AS WELL. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FOR ITS PRESERVATIVE POWERS BUT COULD PROVE DEADLY OR AT LEAST BAD FOR THE HEALTH OF THOSE WHO WERE CARELESS IN HANDELING IT.

Thank you Tim! :) And you could be right, I see also see affinities by the carvings.

Regards,

Detlef

Thank you Barry and I agree, it's a very good one and like usual it was a bargain: http://www.ebay.com/itm/AFRICAN-TRIB...vip=true&rt=nc
But I think that the cover in up is newer as the jaw.

Regards,

Detlef

A GOOD PRICE INDEED. :) I ATTEMPTED TO GET A CROCODILE JAW DAGGER SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO LUCK AND SOON LOST INTEREST AND MOVED ON TO OTHER THINGS BUT PERHAPS I WILL STUMBLE ACROSS ONE AT A GOOD PRICE SOME DAY. :shrug:
I AGREE THE JAW BONE IS OLDER THAN THE DECORATIVE PARTS BUT AS THEY ARE ALL AUTHENTIC ETHINOGRAPHIC WORKMANSHIP IN ORIGIN ITS NOT A PROBLEM.

Hope you will be successful in near future! :) And yes, I agree that the more recent "basketry" in up is no problem.

Have received the crocodile jaw dagger and what a surprise! :eek: The dagger is the biggest bone dagger I ever have seen, the poor animal was a monster!
The dagger is over one kilogram in weight, my not small hand don't go complete around the bone. The dagger have a very good old touching patina but sadly an old crack in the bone. This dagger was surely a ceremonial piece.
Here some first pictures, some with a normal sized Asmat dagger side by side.

JURASSIC CROC DAGGER :D WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRIZE ITS SO OLD AND LARGE.
I SAW A OLD LOWER JAW OFF A SALTWATER CROC IN AUSTRALIA THAT WAS 4 FEET LONG, THE SKULL WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LONGER. I WAS TOLD YOU COULD GET AN IDEA OF THE SIZE OF THE CROC IF YOU MULTIPLIED THE LEGNTH OF THE SKULL BY 7.5, SO THE CRITTER WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 30 FEET LONG. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RECORD SIZE FOR A SALTY IS BUT THEY ARE TRULY MONSTERS TO BE FEARED. QUITE A FEW TRIBES IN NEW GUINEA CONSIDER THEM AS ANCESTORS, BUT NEVER ONES TO INVITE TO DINNER. :rolleyes:

Thank you Barry! Will try to get more informations about this dagger tomorrow from a friend who is an expert bout New Guinea items.

Well gone Detlef. I want one. You might find this helpful.

Printed 1960.

Thank you Tim,

very helpful! :) This confirms what I have assumed! :cool:

HERE ARE A FEW MORE DAGGERS I CAPTURED SINCE I LAST POSTED ANY HERE.
PICTURES #1 & #2 ,14INCHES LONG
#3. 14.75 IN. LONG #4 CROCODILE DAGGER, #5 CROCODILE DAGGER SAID TO BE DANI TRIBE. #6. ITAMUL DAGGER # 7. BONE DAGGER N. G.
#8 & #9. SEAMAMAL BONE DAGGER 26 IN. L SAID TO BE DANI
#10. ITAMUL PAYBACK DAGGERS
#11 & #12 ABELAM, 15 INCHES LONG

ONE MORE ABELAM DAGGER 17 IN. LONG LOOKS LIKE A PARROTS HEAD ON ONE SIDE AND THE WINGS OR PERHAPS A COCATOOS CROWN FEATHERS ARE CARVED ON THE TOP AT THE OTHER SIDE WITH A HUMAN FIGURE BELOW.

The parrot heads are a little more stylised on mine.

here is a few more....................jimmy

THEY SAY THESE WERE USED FOR REVENGE KILLING AND LEFT STICKING IN THE SLEEPING VICTUM. JIMMYS FIRST PICTURE LOOKS LIKE IT IS SAYING "I'M AM GLAD YOU'RE DEAD YOU RASKEL YOU! :D

Well, here is what looks like a small crocodile jaw bone dagger. It is approximately 10 inches in length. The photos make it looks extremely bleached out but I think that it is most likely because of the flash. What do the experts think, is this croc or not?

Robert

I HAVE SEEN SOME THAT LOOK LIKE THIS MADE RECENTLY IN THE USA FROM ALIGATOR JAWS. USUALLY YOU CAN SEE WHERE POWER TOOLS, SAWS AND GRINDERS HAVE BEEN USED ON THESE. I DON'T THINK IT WAS MADE IN NEW GUINEA OR FROM CROC JAW BUT COULD BE WRONG. I DON'T KNOW IF THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES MADE SUCH DAGGERS IN THE OLD DAYS BUT THE GATORS WERE VERY NUMEROUS THEN SO IT IS POSSIBLE.
THE GATOR JAWS AND SKULLS ARE USUALLY CLEANED WITH STRONG BLEACH SO IF IT LOOKS BLEACHED WHITE ( AS IT APEARS IN THE PICTURES) THAT IS ANOTHER THING TO LOOK FOR. THE NEW GATOR JAW KNIVES ARE NEAT BUT NOT REALLY ETHINOGRAPHIC BUT IT IS GOOD TO SEE ONE IN THIS POST FOR COMPARASON.

Thank you very much for your opinion and information. I will look for the telltale marks left by power tools when it arrives. If it does not show any of these signs if you would like I could send it to you for a first hand look at it and final evaluation. Thanks again.

Robert

PICTURES
#1,#2 & #3. BONE DAGGER WITH ARM BAND KWOMA TRIBE, SEPIK PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 21 CM. LONG DAGGER
#4. AZMAT BARBED DAGGER 12 INCHES LONG

#1. #2, #3. ABELAM DAGGERS
#4. CASSOWARY BONE DAGGER WITH CASSOWARY HEAD POMMEL.
#5, #6. #7. BONE DAGGER, 13.5 IN.L.
#8. BONE DAGGER

An Asmat dagger from human bone!

HERE ARE A FEW MORE EXAMPLES TO ADD TO THE REFERENCE. :)
#1. THRU #5, 16.75 IN., ABELAM TRIBE,WORSA REGION, CASSOWARY BONE DAGGER,CARVED BIRD POMMEL
#6. 6 ABELAM DAGGER FROM BOOK
#7. THRU # 10, 38 CM. ABELAM DAGGER CARVED BIRD POMMEL
#11. SENTANAI, BONE DAGGER
#. 12 PICTURE OF TWO DAGGERS IN THE MUSEUM IN BUDAPEST.

TWO MORE PICTURES OF #11 SENTANAI DAGGER IN ABOVE POST.

HERE IS SOMETHING THAT SOLD RECENTLY ON EBAY. IT HAS A WOOD BLADE AND A VERTEBRAE OF SOME SORT ATTACHED TO THE TOP WITH FIBER. I SUSPECT IT IS RECENT MADE AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE A TRUE ETHNOGRAPHIC DAGGER. IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T QUALIFY AS A BONE DAGGER IN MY BOOK BUT GOOD FOR REFRENCE.
13.5 INCH LONG WOOD BLADE BONE VERTEBRAE POMMEL. SAID TO BE FROM THE CASSOWARY BUT WHO KNOWS?

A FEW MORE NEW GUINEA BONE ITEMS.
#1. & #2. EAST SEPIK, ARAPESH AREA TOOL USED AT YAM FEASTS, 8 IN. LONG
. #3. & #4. ASMAT BEFORE 1950, 14.5 IN. LONG
#5 THRU #7 ABELAM, PNG BEFORE 1950, 10.5 IN. LONG

A FEW MORE EXAMPLES
#1. & #2. SHORT DAGGER 17 CM. LONG, KUBALIA AREA NEW GUINEA
#3. #4, & #5. WESTERN SEPIK, PRE-CONTACT 28 CM. LONG. POSSIBLY MADE FROM HUMAN BONE I WOULD GUESS UPPER ARM BONE (HUMERUS)
#6. TWO EXAMPLES FROM THE BUDAPEST MUSEUM CATALOG.

#1. & #2. CROCODILE JAW DAGGER 18.5 INCHES LONG
#3. ABELAM, 32.5 CM. LONG
#4, #5, & #6. ABELAM 39 CM. LONG
#7. 40 CM. LONG BOKIN BONE DAGGER

#1. 19 CM. ABELAM BONE DAGGER
#2. 25 CM. ABELAM BONE DAGGER
#3. 11 IN., 28CM. l. AZMAT BONE DAGGER
#4. 47 CM./ 18.5 INCHES AZMAT CROCODILE JAW DAGGER
#5. 38 CM. AZMAT DAGGER
#6. 40 CM. AZMAT DAGGER
#7. WOSERA BONE DAGGER, 30 CM.
#8 & #9. AITAPE BONE DAGGER, 31 CM.
#10, #11, & #12. 35 CM. BONE DAGGER MIDDLE SEPIK.

A FEW MORE EXAMPLES RECENT AND VINTAGE.
#1. AZMAT 12.5 INCHES LONG TRADITIONAL GRIP
#2., #3 & #4. RECENT ITEM WITH CASSOWARY BONE, CLAWS AND FEATHERS.
#5 & #6. RECENT CASSOWARY BONE DAGGER WITH SHEITH.
#7. THREE IATMUAL PAY BACK DAGGERS.
#8. 36 CM. LONG PNG
#9, #10 & #11. 44CM. OR 17.5 INCH CROCODILE DAGGER AZMAT PAPUA APPEARS TO BE MORE RECENT THAN SOME.

TWO MORE VARIATIONS OF NEW GUINEA BONE DAGGERS ONE 15.5 IN AND ONE 8 INCHES LONG. THE LONGER ONE COULD BE A LIME STICK. :confused:

#1. AZMAT, NORTH WEST COAST NEW GUINEA
#2. TWO NICE EXAMPLES OF THE DAGGERS WITH FACES

#1. ABELAM 7 IN. LONG
#2. ABELAM 7.5 IN. LONG
#3. THRU #6. ABELAM 16 INCHES LONG.
#7 THRU # 9. ABELAM 37 CM. LONG
#10 THRU #12. ITAMUL, 12 INCH, ORCHID FIBER HANDLE AND SHEATH.

THREE NEW GUINEA BONE DAGGERS CASSOWARY BONE GOOD AGE AND PATINA
17 CM, 20 CM AND 24 CM.

#1. 26 CM. LONG THIN DAGGER OR LIME STICK, SEPIK AREA
#2. & #3. & #4. 32 CM. LONG WOOD SEPIK DAGGER
#5. & #6. CROCODILE JAW DAGGER 19 CM. NEW GUINEA

A FEW MORE EXAMPLES.
#1. & #2. 27 INCH AZMAT CASSOWARY BONE DAGGER
#3. & #4. 33 CM. CASSOWARY BONE DAGGER