MATABELE KNIFE for comment

thinreadline · 23rd December 2011, 03:29 PM

About 8 years ago I bought the entire contents of a small Boer War museum . It contained quite a lot of ethnographical artefacts and amongst them was this tiny knife labelled as 'old Matabele knife'. The blde is quite poor quality and thin but the brass wirework grip is rather nice . The whole thing is only 13 cm long so is a tool , souvenir or paper knife rather than a weapon but interesting nevertheless.

Lew · 23rd December 2011, 06:46 PM

That is a Shona arm dagger circa 1900.

thinreadline · 23rd December 2011, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

That is a Shona arm dagger circa 1900.

OK .. thats excellent .. correct part of the world and correct period .. so the museum was not so far out after all. So with this being so small , what in your opinion might its use have been ?
Thanks ..

Lew · 23rd December 2011, 11:28 PM

Could be a small Childs dagger?

thinreadline · 24th December 2011, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

Could be a small Childs dagger?

That would make sense .

23rd December 2011, 03:29 PM	#1
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	MATABELE KNIFE for comment About 8 years ago I bought the entire contents of a small Boer War museum . It contained quite a lot of ethnographical artefacts and amongst them was this tiny knife labelled as 'old Matabele knife'. The blde is quite poor quality and thin but the brass wirework grip is rather nice . The whole thing is only 13 cm long so is a tool , souvenir or paper knife rather than a weapon but interesting nevertheless. Attached Images

23rd December 2011, 06:46 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	That is a Shona arm dagger circa 1900.

23rd December 2011, 11:28 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Could be a small Childs dagger?