or is it?
not your normal zulu/shona wood head knocker, drilled steel/iron ball on a bicoloured wood shaft with a steel ferrule end, wood has incised line carvings of various shapes and objectsrather than fancy wirework.
auction description:
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a long length, heavy antique, hand carved wooden ethnographic, Knobkerrie war club
Origin: Believed to be Zulu
Measures 93 cm long, steel ball diameter 56 mm, maximum shaft diameter 29.5 mm
Weight 835 grams
Hand carved from a natural tree branch, hand carved decoration to the handle end of the club, the handle fitted with a heavy cast steel ball and on the narrow end of the club with a steel cap
Very good original condition, slight natural curve to the wood, no splits or cracks, no woodworm.
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is it african? patina on ball looks old, but...
the carved patterns do not ring a bell with me hopefully one of y'all might have a flash of inspiration.
looking at t5he ferrule end, which is open, it appears to be made from a bicolored wood, possibly assegai wood. looks like it could do with a wash - and the ball may need re-cementing.
(i also make/collect walking sticks - happened to be looking for a drilled steel ball to make one for myself when i ran across this one while searching, will sve me the effort now.
)
thanks in advance for any comments.