African ceremonial axes

Ron Anderson · 16th September 2010, 01:53 PM

What are these and what is their story?

I found them together. They are two really interesting items full of animal figures. The one has a bull head, the other a cobra head. They have geckos and frogs and snakes along the blade. In the axe itself is another animal - perhaps a jackal or a dog.

What I really love about these is that they remind me of ancient bronze works from Medea or Luristan. Except these are not bronze age Eurasia, they're 20th century Africa.

I suspect these are west African but I could be mistaken. I would say Nigeria or Ivory Coast. Again, just a gut feel. Could be central African - Zaire or somesuch. I would be very surprised if they were far North or South of that area.

They may not be that old. I don't know. It is hard to tell with this type of metal. However, I'm sure they're not all that recent.

Ron Anderson · 16th September 2010, 02:12 PM

Thinking about it again, my best guess on origins is Nigeria, possibly Cameroon.

Would love someone to confirm or confound.

Ron Anderson · 28th September 2010, 07:45 AM

No comments yet, but I live in hope.

Tim Simmons · 28th September 2010, 08:12 PM

I have an object I would like to reply with except I am at 6s & 7s for the time being.

Ron, I have to say there is something about the lighting to your pictures that is a little odd and rather off puting {the same with the pacific NW club} sorry. Having said that I have the feeling these are from further west of Nigeria as you mention Ivory Coast. I think most likely Burkina Faso but that is just a guess. Certainly Ivory Coast, Burkina and possibly Ghana. I have this armlet with the very same work on it.
I am bothered by the coarseness to the work here, even if the imagery fits with tradition, making me think at times of doubt that they might have been made for those who travel? but they are hardly the type of item for your sideboard? We could be looking at a late production and as with all products quality can vary from one maker to the next.
Compare the armlet with this anklet from the Cameroon. A little bigger and superbly cast with less lead in the alloy. A master class in bees wax work. You can see the application of wax on the inside pictures. Unlike the other piece I show there is not a file mark anywhere. There may well have been a more sophistcated court life in regions of the Cameroon? The latice work represents spiders as seen on stools and Cameroon sculpture/masks and applied arts.

Ron Anderson · 29th September 2010, 01:53 AM

Tim

I apologise for the lighting. I am living in temporary accommodation at the moment and the room has a fluorescent light. Or my pictures are taken at the storage warehouse where the bulk of my collection is housed. However, I also need to make more of an effort to master this camera of mine and play with the settings.

I have seen many of these types of arm and ankle bands. In Johannesburg this material floods into flea markets, brought in by Africans from further north. Whenever I asked about their origins the two locations given to me for this metalwork were: Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

I think it's interesting metalwork. I know what you're saying about the crudity of the work. I can only guess that this stuff is cast and that they use the moulds over and over again, resulting in a poorer quality casting. The quality of the work on Benin metalware is often much higher.

Whether both your articles and mine are created for a curio market, I simply do not know. There is a possibility that they are. A good possibility.

My suspicion is that all these pieces, authentic and those produced for tourists, may be coming from the same moulds.

The casting on your pieces is better than the casting on mine.

However, in all the time I was in Johannesburg and all the many thousands of artefacts of this type I saw, I never once saw these axes or anything like them.

They were among a number of cast African pieces from the very same collection that I secured the NW Pacific club from.

Ron Anderson · 29th September 2010, 02:09 AM

Tim

I apologise for the lighting. I am living in temporary accommodation at the moment and the room has a fluorescent light. Or my pictures are taken at the storage warehouse where the bulk of my collection is housed. However, I also need to make more of an effort to master this camera of mine and play with the settings.

I have seen many of the arm and ankle bands of the type you have. In Johannesburg this material floods into flea markets, brought in by Africans from further north. Whenever I asked about their origins the two locations given to me for this metalwork were: Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

I think it's interesting metalwork. I know what you're saying about the crudity of the work. I can only guess that this stuff is cast and that they use the moulds over and over again, resulting in a poorer quality casting. The quality of the work on Benin metalware is often much higher.

Nonetheless, I look back to the antiquities I used to collect, often bronzes of this type, from places like Elam, Luristan and the like, and there are enormous similarities. Both in the style and the motifs.

This makes them interesting.

They indeed reflect the bronze age in many ways.

Whether both your articles and mine are created for a curio market, I simply do not know. There is a possibility that they are. A good possibility.

My suspicion is that all these pieces, authentic and those produced for tourists, may be coming from the same moulds.

The casting on your pieces is better than the casting on mine.

However, in all the time I was in Johannesburg and all the many thousands of artefacts of this type I saw, I never once saw these axes or anything like them.

They were among a number of cast African pieces from the very same collection that I secured the NW Pacific club from.

16th September 2010, 01:53 PM	#1
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	African ceremonial axes What are these and what is their story? I found them together. They are two really interesting items full of animal figures. The one has a bull head, the other a cobra head. They have geckos and frogs and snakes along the blade. In the axe itself is another animal - perhaps a jackal or a dog. What I really love about these is that they remind me of ancient bronze works from Medea or Luristan. Except these are not bronze age Eurasia, they're 20th century Africa. I suspect these are west African but I could be mistaken. I would say Nigeria or Ivory Coast. Again, just a gut feel. Could be central African - Zaire or somesuch. I would be very surprised if they were far North or South of that area. They may not be that old. I don't know. It is hard to tell with this type of metal. However, I'm sure they're not all that recent. Attached Images

28th September 2010, 08:12 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	I have an object I would like to reply with except I am at 6s & 7s for the time being. Ron, I have to say there is something about the lighting to your pictures that is a little odd and rather off puting {the same with the pacific NW club} sorry. Having said that I have the feeling these are from further west of Nigeria as you mention Ivory Coast. I think most likely Burkina Faso but that is just a guess. Certainly Ivory Coast, Burkina and possibly Ghana. I have this armlet with the very same work on it. I am bothered by the coarseness to the work here, even if the imagery fits with tradition, making me think at times of doubt that they might have been made for those who travel? but they are hardly the type of item for your sideboard? We could be looking at a late production and as with all products quality can vary from one maker to the next. Compare the armlet with this anklet from the Cameroon. A little bigger and superbly cast with less lead in the alloy. A master class in bees wax work. You can see the application of wax on the inside pictures. Unlike the other piece I show there is not a file mark anywhere. There may well have been a more sophistcated court life in regions of the Cameroon? The latice work represents spiders as seen on stools and Cameroon sculpture/masks and applied arts. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 28th September 2010 at 09:28 PM.

16th September 2010, 02:12 PM	#2
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	Thinking about it again, my best guess on origins is Nigeria, possibly Cameroon. Would love someone to confirm or confound.

28th September 2010, 07:45 AM	#3
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	No comments yet, but I live in hope.

29th September 2010, 01:53 AM	#5
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	Tim I apologise for the lighting. I am living in temporary accommodation at the moment and the room has a fluorescent light. Or my pictures are taken at the storage warehouse where the bulk of my collection is housed. However, I also need to make more of an effort to master this camera of mine and play with the settings. I have seen many of these types of arm and ankle bands. In Johannesburg this material floods into flea markets, brought in by Africans from further north. Whenever I asked about their origins the two locations given to me for this metalwork were: Ivory Coast and Cameroon. I think it's interesting metalwork. I know what you're saying about the crudity of the work. I can only guess that this stuff is cast and that they use the moulds over and over again, resulting in a poorer quality casting. The quality of the work on Benin metalware is often much higher. Whether both your articles and mine are created for a curio market, I simply do not know. There is a possibility that they are. A good possibility. My suspicion is that all these pieces, authentic and those produced for tourists, may be coming from the same moulds. The casting on your pieces is better than the casting on mine. However, in all the time I was in Johannesburg and all the many thousands of artefacts of this type I saw, I never once saw these axes or anything like them. They were among a number of cast African pieces from the very same collection that I secured the NW Pacific club from.

29th September 2010, 02:09 AM	#6
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	Tim I apologise for the lighting. I am living in temporary accommodation at the moment and the room has a fluorescent light. Or my pictures are taken at the storage warehouse where the bulk of my collection is housed. However, I also need to make more of an effort to master this camera of mine and play with the settings. I have seen many of the arm and ankle bands of the type you have. In Johannesburg this material floods into flea markets, brought in by Africans from further north. Whenever I asked about their origins the two locations given to me for this metalwork were: Ivory Coast and Cameroon. I think it's interesting metalwork. I know what you're saying about the crudity of the work. I can only guess that this stuff is cast and that they use the moulds over and over again, resulting in a poorer quality casting. The quality of the work on Benin metalware is often much higher. Nonetheless, I look back to the antiquities I used to collect, often bronzes of this type, from places like Elam, Luristan and the like, and there are enormous similarities. Both in the style and the motifs. This makes them interesting. They indeed reflect the bronze age in many ways. Whether both your articles and mine are created for a curio market, I simply do not know. There is a possibility that they are. A good possibility. My suspicion is that all these pieces, authentic and those produced for tourists, may be coming from the same moulds. The casting on your pieces is better than the casting on mine. However, in all the time I was in Johannesburg and all the many thousands of artefacts of this type I saw, I never once saw these axes or anything like them. They were among a number of cast African pieces from the very same collection that I secured the NW Pacific club from.