Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


238 - African Zulu Knobkerrie Staff (37 inches) with Wire Bands, Late 19th to Early 20th Century

This is a nice long Zulu knobkerrie club or staff with a small fairly spherical integral head appearing to represent a root ball. The slightly bowed smooth shaft is embellished with two bands of woven wire, mostly iron, but also each with section of brass. The head has some narrow lengthwise running cracks and there is some disruption and loss of the wire at the end of the club opposite the head. Overall length is 37¼ inches (94.8 cm) with a weight of just under 14 ounces (402 grams). Lew dated this example as circa 1880 to 1900.




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