Assegai (Ngumba) Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda
 

A lovely assegai from the Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda tribe, DR Congo/Angola.
Lenght is 97 cm. Simular assegai in the book Fatal Beauty.
First time I have seen this in real, now it's mine :D
There is a thin layer of varnish that must be removed...

Fine piece. How do you intend removing the varnish ?

Regards.

It's a thin layer of varnish, some rubbing with acetone on a cloth will do the job.

A BEAUTIFUL ITEM OF AS GOOD A QUALITY AS THE EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK. CONGRADULATIONS :D
ITS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE THE METAL ENDS AND THE WOOD BEGINS AT THE POINT ? I ASSUME THIS IS A PRESTIEGE OR EMBLEM OF RANK RATHER THAN FOR USE AS A SPEAR.

It's a very fine item and it looks to have a lovely aged patina under the varnish.
Won't acetone remove the patina as well?

I would use some #0000 Steel wool go lightly with it should take the varnish off without damaging the patina :). Then give it a buffing with a horse hair shoe brush.

I wouldn't touch this piece. Leave the varnish on. An African arts dealer once told me that pieces dating from the years before WW II were often varnished. This was done by the European owners to protect the wood of the items in their collection from insect damage when still in Africa.

I think you have a piece with quite some age.

I think the varnish is already gone by now... :D

I would love to have a spear like this with the carved figure. If it were mine I remove the varnish. I have have removed varnish several times on clubs that have cost a pretty penny. The results have been great no damage to the patina once dressed with a little olive oil. Every time I have removed the varnish it has been with heart in mouth. I use a peoduct called "nitromoors paint and varnish remover" The results have been like a trip in a time machine.

Really? Nitromoors is caustic soda. You don't find it tough on the patina?

I know this is just a quick snap but all of these have had the "Nitromors" treatment. You have to do it carefully, wipe on, agitate with tooth brush wipe off, in quick bursts untill the varnish has gone. Dress lightly with soft cloth and olive oil.

Interesting spears! I've never seen such ones before, so it's a pleasure - thanks for posting. Do you know what the bottom spike is for? I'm guessing for standing up during ceremonies, maybe?

Tim, those are some sweet clubs too! Would you mind naming them - maybe even in a new thread of their own? :) They certainly deserve it!


Best wishes, - Thor

Yes Freddy, you're right, safest thing to do is do nothing.
But the intention was to take away the most of the varnish, not to strip it ;)

A slight cleaning with acetone just takes away the "glass" effect and not remove the entire layer.

Looks beter now...