VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TELL ESPECIALLY FROM PICTURES BUT I GET THE FEELING THIS HAS BEEN ARTIFICIALLY AGED. THE FACT THAT THE BLADE HAS BEEN WELDED IS OBVIOUS BUT I SUPPOSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A REPAIR TO AN OLD BLADE BUT THE WELD TOO HAS BEEN AGED. THE OTHER THING I NOTICE IS THAT THE WIRE HAS NOT BEEN BRAIDED AS IN GOOD ZULU WIRE WORK AND IS JUST WRAPPED AROUND THE SHAFT. THE WIRE IS NOT STRAIGHT BUT HAS MANY SMALL CURVES WHICH MAKES IT SEEM TO BE BRAIDED AND WOVEN. THE WOOD ALSO LOOKS LIGHT AND SOFT WHICH MAKES FOR EASY CARVING AND ANTIQUING BUT WOULD MAKE A POOR WEAPON.
I AM NOT AN EXPERT IN AFRICAN ITEMS BUT SUSPECT THIS IS NOT A GOOD OLD ONE BUT ONE MADE FOR THE TOURIST AND COLLECTOR MARKET.I WOULD NOT PAY VERY MUCH FOR IT PERSONALLY BUT IT WOULD MAKE A NICE DECOR WALL HANGER. PERHAPS SOME OF OUR MEMBERS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE IN THINGS AFRICAN CAN GIVE A MORE ACCURATE OPINION. GOOD LUCK
IT IS GOOD TO POST ON ITEMS SUCH AS THIS, AS THE POSTS ARE INFORMATIVE AND CAN HELP US TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GOOD OLD AUTHENTIC AND THE NEWER LOWER QUALITY ITEMS. ITS MUCH EASIER HAVING BOTH SO COMPARISONS CAN BE MADE, PERHAPS SOMEONE HAS A PICTURE OF A GOOD OLD EXAMPLE TO ADD HERE?
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