This week's harvest

Freddy · 6th October 2006, 08:49 PM

It was a good week. Some of my ebay purchases arrived and I found something new (and cheap) in my favourite junkshop. Have a look :

Freddy · 6th October 2006, 08:55 PM

First of all, I know nothing about this axe (only that it comes from Africa). Could this be Songye or Nsapo-Nsapo ?
It's a big piece, weighing approx. 1 kg. The handle measures 40,5 cm. The iron blade is 26,5 cm long and 25,5 cm wide.
The axe blade was made from 1 piece of metal which was cut, folded and twisted until this design was obtained. Real nice work.

Freddy · 6th October 2006, 09:03 PM

The second one, I identified as possibly 'Azande' or 'Zande'.

It's about 42 cm long. The blade is sharp, beginning from the little 'bulge' all the way to the point at the back.
It has a wooden handle, so it's not a throwing knife. This handle has a great patina.

I found a picture of a similar weapon in 'Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika' (Museum für Völkerkunde, Frankfurt am Main - 1985) p.86. But they are not sure of its origin.

Freddy · 6th October 2006, 09:08 PM

This is definitively Mangbetu. The blade is nicely forged and a bit 'out of centre'. The handle is old ivory. Total length : 27 cm.

Got this one at a reasonable price, too. Last week, a similar piece was sold for more than 400 Euro ! ! !

Mine was a bit cheaper

Freddy · 6th October 2006, 09:16 PM

This is the axe from the junkshop. I don't think it's very old, but at 6 Euro....who cares

It measures about 52,5 cm. The wooden handle has some burnt-in designs.

When I found it, the axe blade was very rusty. After cleaning it a bit, I found it had some engravings. It's stuck into the handle with 2 tangs.

I found a similar piece, looking in the Collections Database of the Division of Anthropology of the American Museum of Natural History.
No tribe is mentioned, but there it's identified as 'ethiopian' with the acquisition year 1964.

On this one, I'm open to any suggestion.

Tim Simmons · 6th October 2006, 10:07 PM

Nice finds Freddy especially as they where cheap. I like the mangbetu piece the most. They do not strike me as all that very old. One of those knives is very similar to one you gave me in a swap. There is a picture in mambele. be I shall get it here.

6th October 2006, 08:49 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	This week's harvest It was a good week. Some of my ebay purchases arrived and I found something new (and cheap) in my favourite junkshop. Have a look :

6th October 2006, 08:55 PM	#2
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	But I need some help ! First of all, I know nothing about this axe (only that it comes from Africa). Could this be Songye or Nsapo-Nsapo ? It's a big piece, weighing approx. 1 kg. The handle measures 40,5 cm. The iron blade is 26,5 cm long and 25,5 cm wide. The axe blade was made from 1 piece of metal which was cut, folded and twisted until this design was obtained. Real nice work.

6th October 2006, 09:03 PM	#3
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Not sure about this one, too. The second one, I identified as possibly 'Azande' or 'Zande'. It's about 42 cm long. The blade is sharp, beginning from the little 'bulge' all the way to the point at the back. It has a wooden handle, so it's not a throwing knife. This handle has a great patina. I found a picture of a similar weapon in 'Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika' (Museum für Völkerkunde, Frankfurt am Main - 1985) p.86. But they are not sure of its origin.

6th October 2006, 09:08 PM	#4
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Of this one, I'm sure ! This is definitively Mangbetu. The blade is nicely forged and a bit 'out of centre'. The handle is old ivory. Total length : 27 cm. Got this one at a reasonable price, too. Last week, a similar piece was sold for more than 400 Euro ! ! ! Mine was a bit cheaper

6th October 2006, 09:16 PM	#5
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Last one. A little help needed This is the axe from the junkshop. I don't think it's very old, but at 6 Euro....who cares It measures about 52,5 cm. The wooden handle has some burnt-in designs. When I found it, the axe blade was very rusty. After cleaning it a bit, I found it had some engravings. It's stuck into the handle with 2 tangs. I found a similar piece, looking in the Collections Database of the Division of Anthropology of the American Museum of Natural History. No tribe is mentioned, but there it's identified as 'ethiopian' with the acquisition year 1964. On this one, I'm open to any suggestion.

6th October 2006, 10:07 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Nice finds Freddy especially as they where cheap. I like the mangbetu piece the most. They do not strike me as all that very old. One of those knives is very similar to one you gave me in a swap. There is a picture in mambele. be I shall get it here.