Ashante dance knife?
 

Hello,
I am new to your forum and a relatively new collector of African art. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and collect mainly bronze, wooden pieces and have a large collection masks. Although I do have several spears and shields.
The gentleman I purchase many of my pieces from recently gave me two knives as a gift. He asked in return, if I researched and discovered there origin and purpose if I could let him know. In searching the web I came across your website. There two knives. One is brass measuring 18",has a cutout of No 2 and straight line that is rounded at either end, the end of the handle unscrews to a hollow handle. The other is nickel plated brass measuring 15", cutout of No 7 and 3 small triangles,1 1/2"rectangle. Both have very heavy handles.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. He thought they could perhaps be Ashante dance knives.

kerryg57

Welcome to the forum :). A picture of the knives would help in identifying which tribe they come from.

Photographs of the items...

No 2 looks as if it has been made from a button slide? No 7 I have no idea. They are surley fairly modern with the engineer machining. The Ashante version tend to have a more bulbus top and bottom to the handle, perhaps they are Benin as in old Dahomey?

P.S.

They do have the same form as those seen in Dahomey art and on the Kings palace walls. Here are two of mine. The symbolic cutlass seems to have many versions all alone the old trade coast.

HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICTURES TWO WERE IDENTIFIED AS FROM GHANNA, IVORY COAST, ONE BEING 50 INCHES LONG. THE LARGE ONES ARE USED AS SWORDS OF STATE AND THE KING AND OTHER IMPORTANT PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEM. THE HANDLES WERE OFTEN COVERED IN GOLD LEAF AND HAD TAILSMEN IN THE SHAPE OF VARIOUS ANIMALS IN GOLD. I USED TO HAVE SOME PICTURES OF SUCH SWORDS AND KINGS BUT THE COMPUTER ATE THEM. :(

YOUR EXAMPLES ARE MODERN OF A SMALLER SIZE AND NOT MADE IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY SO WOULD NOT QUALIFY AS SWORD OF STATE. BUT THEY ARE INTERESTING IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. I WONDER IF THERE WAS A SET #1 THROUGH 20 PERHAPS EACH WITH A DIFFERENT PATTERN OF PIERCINGS IN THE BLADE, OR IF THE NUMBER DESIGNATED THE MEMBER OF A SECRET SOCIETY OR LODGE. ITS ALWAYS FUN TO SPECULATE ON SUCH ITEMS AND WONDER WHAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE MAKERS OR THOSE WHO USED THEM. EITHER WAY THEY ARE PURELY FOR CEREMONY OR DANCE NOT ACTUAL WORK. WELCOME TO THE FORUM FACTS AND GUESSES FOR FREE!!! :D

Hi

They might belong to Asafo (southern Ghana) "military companies" which are numbered No. 1, No 2 etc. These companies also have among their regalia, flags with similar numbering depicted....

Ashante dance knife?
 

Thank you to all of you who responded to my post. Your help was much appreciated. Special thanks to Lee who posted my photos!! You have a great website going on here!!

On second thoughts I do not think No2 is made from a button slide, as only thin buttons could be polished.

Here is an example of an Asafo (Fante) flag, from Southern Ghana...

Helpful picture?
 

From "Spirit Mediumship and Society in Africa, Beattie & Middleton, published Routledge & Kegan, london 1969" the assistant/auxilary is behind the possessed girl holding the ritual cutlass.