Group of small African knives for comments

[Ian]

This was a small lot that I picked up at an auction of an old Swiss collection. A Zurich husband and wife team collected extensively in northern and central Africa from about 1950 through to the end of the 20th C. About 500 items in their collection were sold off over two days.

I have a large number of excellent auction pictures of these knives, but am putting up just the "family photos" to discuss. If you need detailed pics of any particular knife let me know. OAL of these knives varies from 14.2 to 25 cm.

Comments and thoughts welcome. Work knives, women's knives, ceremonial?
.

[Sajen]

Hi Ian,

I am interested to see that you have started a new love affair with African blades! They have their own charm, don't they?

I can't be of great help but I see that three blades are daggers and all others seem to be utility knives.
Some of our Africa experts will give you an answer. But it's a beautiful grouping, they all together in a stand will be an eye catcher. Congrats, very nice catch!
Hope the shipping from Switzerland won't be too expensive, I have a very bad experience with an auction house from there.

Regards,
Detlef

[Pertinax]

Hello Ian

IMHO these knives are made for those who travel and were never intended to be used as a cutter.

I bought this knife in 2019 in Zanzibar (Tanzania).

Regards, Yuri

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

IMHO these knives are made for those who travel and were never intended to be used as a cutter.

Hello Yuri,

Lately I've been really speechless when I read certain comments!

When you don't see the difference between the knives in question and your tourist knife you should look for new glasses, sorry!

Do you don't recognize the patination the knives in question have received from decades of handling? You don't see that one of the knives has lost it's blade tip?
You don't see that the handle on the complete right was reinforced with a wire because the wood has cracked due to aging or stress?

Sorry again but I was really befuddled when I read your comment!

Regards,
Detlef

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello Yuri,

Lately I've been really speechless when I read certain comments!

When you don't see the difference between the knives in question and your tourist knfe you should look for new glasses, sorry!

Do you don't recognize the patination the knives in question have received from decades of handling? You don't see that one of the knives has lost it's blade tip?
You don't see that the handle on the complete right was reinforced with a wire because the wood has cracked due to aging or stress?

Sorry again but I was really befuddled when I read your comment!

Regards,
Detlef

Dear Detlef

I don't need glasses, I've been to Africa several times and seen everything with my own eyes.

Knives are sold in Africa not in supermarkets, but in small open-air shops or simply along the highway on the ground. A special feature of Africa's climate is that it often rains, followed by bright sunshine. Patina appears after two to three months, and the wood on the handle also cracks.

The blades of such knives are made of poor quality iron, 1.5 - 2.5 mm thick and therefore cannot be used for their intended purpose.

The tourism business has existed in Africa for many decades, and local residents make such knives.

Hebeisen has been producing replica and fantasy knives for Zirngibl and other dealers for decades.

A clear indication of the success that Hebeisen’s knives have achieved is that they are currently being reproduced in Africa, which demonstrates the African blacksmith’s proactive response to the demands of the European market.

I already posted this photo of the “African Supermarket”.

Regards, Yuri

[Ian]

Pertinax,

I appreciate your experience "on the ground" in Africa. Valuable information indeed. However, as I mentioned in my first post here, these knives came from an ethnographic collection compiled over many years. Judging from several hundred items being auctioned from their estate, this couple new quality and rarity in the items they bought. They visited Africa numerous times also. Furthermore, the auction house specializes in African ethnographic items, and had known the owners of this collection for many years.

You may be correct, that these are simply inexpensive knives sold on the roadside to a couple of gullible tourists. However, I doubt it given the quality of items presented from their overall collection (which included many swords, knives, axes, etc., that fetched handsome prices at auction).

Ian.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

I don't need glasses, I've been to Africa several times and seen everything with my own eyes.

Knives are sold in Africa not in supermarkets, but in small open-air shops or simply along the highway on the ground. A special feature of Africa's climate is that it often rains, followed by bright sunshine. Patina appears after two to three months, and the wood on the handle also cracks.

The blades of such knives are made of poor quality iron, 1.5 - 2.5 mm thick and therefore cannot be used for their intended purpose.

The tourism business has existed in Africa for many decades, and local residents make such knives.

Hebeisen has been producing replica and fantasy knives for Zirngibl and other dealers for decades.

A clear indication of the success that Hebeisen’s knives have achieved is that they are currently being reproduced in Africa, which demonstrates the African blacksmith’s proactive response to the demands of the European market.

I already posted this photo of the “African Supermarket”.

Hello Jury,

I've expressed my view just before. I have never been to continental Africa but have visited Asia several times. It is a very similar climatic condition there. Before wood like the handles from Ians "new" knives receive such a glossy patina it needs minimum years and it's a little bit unintelligible to me that you are obviously not able to see that, sorry!

Look again please!

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi Ian,
The third from the left and far right could be Mangbetu and Songye.
Martin