Assorted African pieces for ID

OldMcDonald · 26th January 2011, 07:05 AM

Hello all, This is my first post on the ethnographic forum and I'm hoping a member may have some info on the following pieces. One thing I can say is that all the items have been in my family for over a hundred years.

The first one I'm not sure if it's a Bangala ceremonial sabre, one collector said it could possibly be a Ngbandi tribe sabre, whilst a weapons appraiser classed it as being from the Yokomo tribe. The length is 28" long

Second piece is a curio that I have no idea about, so any thoughts I would be grateful to hear. The grip is a stylised figure which may have some indication of it's origin. Length 8"

Third one has been described as a Songe club hatchet - Is there a more definitive idea of what tribe it came from? Length 16"

Thanks for looking and hopefully unravelling any clues.
Cheers, David

ericlaude · 26th January 2011, 10:15 AM

Hello Old MC Donald,
Your first pièce is a war sickle associated to the Boa, Bandia, Yakoma, Nsakara and Benge tribe originary of Democratic Republic of Congo and Center Africa Republic.
Your second piece is a form of Majapahit or Sajen Keris ( Indonesia)

Sajen · 26th January 2011, 12:23 PM

Yes, the second piece is a keris sajen in cundrik form and what I can see from the pictures an original one.

Regards,

Detlef

OldMcDonald · 26th January 2011, 12:40 PM

Thanks, Ericlaude and Detlef,
Forgive my ignorance as to the ethnology of this Keris piece, for some reason it appeared to be African to my untrained eye.
Regards David

Jim McDougall · 26th January 2011, 08:37 PM

Nicely done Ericclaude and Detlef!!! You guys always amaze me the way you are able to really 'nail' this esoteric stuff so quickly!
David, again, thank you for joining us here and for bringing great items to the fore in both forums. We're really glad to have you with us.

All the best,
Jim

Freddy · 26th January 2011, 09:43 PM

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Nobody talked about the axe. It can be attributed to the Songye, but a Luba origin is also possible. Both tribes live in Congo.

Here is one I used to own (the one on the left)

OldMcDonald · 27th January 2011, 08:14 AM

Thanks Freddy,
Your post helped me locate more info on this piece, although the one you owned looks far more interesting.
regards David

Freddy · 27th January 2011, 11:16 AM

David, I believe that the ones without lizard skin are older. Anyway, that's what I've been told.

So you axe could predate the one I had.

Lew · 27th January 2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy

David, I believe that the ones without lizard skin are older. Anyway, that's what I've been told.

So you axe could predate the one I had.

Freddy

I fear that many of the bare handled are just ones that lost their handle cover. I go by the overall quality of the blade. I also think the copper sheathed handles could be older but that is only my opinion

26th January 2011, 07:05 AM	#1
OldMcDonald Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Assorted African pieces for ID Hello all, This is my first post on the ethnographic forum and I'm hoping a member may have some info on the following pieces. One thing I can say is that all the items have been in my family for over a hundred years. The first one I'm not sure if it's a Bangala ceremonial sabre, one collector said it could possibly be a Ngbandi tribe sabre, whilst a weapons appraiser classed it as being from the Yokomo tribe. The length is 28" long Second piece is a curio that I have no idea about, so any thoughts I would be grateful to hear. The grip is a stylised figure which may have some indication of it's origin. Length 8" Third one has been described as a Songe club hatchet - Is there a more definitive idea of what tribe it came from? Length 16" Thanks for looking and hopefully unravelling any clues. Cheers, David Attached Images

26th January 2011, 10:15 AM	#2
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	Hello Old MC Donald, Your first pièce is a war sickle associated to the Boa, Bandia, Yakoma, Nsakara and Benge tribe originary of Democratic Republic of Congo and Center Africa Republic. Your second piece is a form of Majapahit or Sajen Keris ( Indonesia)

26th January 2011, 12:23 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,788	Yes, the second piece is a keris sajen in cundrik form and what I can see from the pictures an original one. Regards, Detlef

26th January 2011, 12:40 PM	#4
OldMcDonald Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Thanks, Ericlaude and Detlef, Forgive my ignorance as to the ethnology of this Keris piece, for some reason it appeared to be African to my untrained eye. Regards David

26th January 2011, 08:37 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,954	Nicely done Ericclaude and Detlef!!! You guys always amaze me the way you are able to really 'nail' this esoteric stuff so quickly! David, again, thank you for joining us here and for bringing great items to the fore in both forums. We're really glad to have you with us. All the best, Jim

26th January 2011, 09:43 PM	#6
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Hi, welcome to the forum. Nobody talked about the axe. It can be attributed to the Songye, but a Luba origin is also possible. Both tribes live in Congo. Here is one I used to own (the one on the left)

27th January 2011, 08:14 AM	#7
OldMcDonald Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 8	Thanks Freddy, Your post helped me locate more info on this piece, although the one you owned looks far more interesting. regards David

27th January 2011, 11:16 AM	#8
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	David, I believe that the ones without lizard skin are older. Anyway, that's what I've been told. So you axe could predate the one I had.