Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Root ball knobkerrie from a Zulu collection...or is it ?

katana · 19th June 2011, 05:33 PM

I have contacted the seller with reference to the provenance. The seller is a retired Antique dealer of some 25 years. He has assured me that the knobkerrie was part of an South African collection from a country house and that it was ID'd by a individual (name supplied) whom was...." ex Military Police - South African Defence force and social historian. "
I have requested some form of written provenance ...but it now seems certain to be South African ...and likely Nguni. As I cannot find any similar shaped knobkerries attributed to the Zulu or Shona

The wood was described as 'stink oak' .....the nearest I can find is 'stinkwood' which is a known SA knobkerrie wood.

All the Best
David

19th June 2011, 05:33 PM	#10
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	I have contacted the seller with reference to the provenance. The seller is a retired Antique dealer of some 25 years. He has assured me that the knobkerrie was part of an South African collection from a country house and that it was ID'd by a individual (name supplied) whom was...." ex Military Police - South African Defence force and social historian. " I have requested some form of written provenance ...but it now seems certain to be South African ...and likely Nguni. As I cannot find any similar shaped knobkerries attributed to the Zulu or Shona The wood was described as 'stink oak' .....the nearest I can find is 'stinkwood' which is a known SA knobkerrie wood. All the Best David