Old Kuba Bushong Dagger For Comment

Lew · 14th April 2005, 02:14 AM

Hi Flavio

I agree with you that the undecorated type dagger is more elegant as for the general age I think they are older than 1970s. The patina on both look too deep to have only been made 30 years ago. My guess is 1930s-40s possibly a little earlier. The Warrior in the photo looks to be around 40 years old and the dagger could have been made for him some 20 years earlier when he acsended to manhood that would make his dagger 1950s era. Who knows if these daggers were handed down as family heirlooms?

Lew

Flavio · 14th April 2005, 11:12 PM

Hi Lew, I think that what you say is ok. The age of undecoreted ikula is old like the ones with an inlaid handle.
Maybe, but this is a big interrogative point, the ikulas with copper and brass inlaid are older.
Here in Italy i see in a museum (Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum of "Luigi Pigorini" in Rome) two ikulas dated to the middle '800 with copper and brass inlaid. Maybe the ikula with zinc or aluminum inlaid are recent.
I haven't sure news if the weapons were handed down as family heirlooms, but i think that it could be possible. Among the Papua (New Guinea) or the Maori, in the early 1900, the stone axe were passed from father to son as a great simbol of power.

Conogre · 16th April 2005, 05:57 AM

Nice Ikul Lew and Flavio....when I first started collecting an African specialist took me under his wing, with the Ikula being by far his preferred weapon style (sorry for the reminiscing) so they've made an impression on me ever since, yet it's one piece I've never been fortunate enough to win or possess..
Very elegant weapons that apparently have a high place in the rank/prestige and ceremonial categories as well.
(A three-fer?**grin**)
Mike

14th April 2005, 02:14 AM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi Flavio I agree with you that the undecorated type dagger is more elegant as for the general age I think they are older than 1970s. The patina on both look too deep to have only been made 30 years ago. My guess is 1930s-40s possibly a little earlier. The Warrior in the photo looks to be around 40 years old and the dagger could have been made for him some 20 years earlier when he acsended to manhood that would make his dagger 1950s era. Who knows if these daggers were handed down as family heirlooms? Lew

14th April 2005, 11:12 PM	#2
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hi Lew, I think that what you say is ok. The age of undecoreted ikula is old like the ones with an inlaid handle. Maybe, but this is a big interrogative point, the ikulas with copper and brass inlaid are older. Here in Italy i see in a museum (Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum of "Luigi Pigorini" in Rome) two ikulas dated to the middle '800 with copper and brass inlaid. Maybe the ikula with zinc or aluminum inlaid are recent. I haven't sure news if the weapons were handed down as family heirlooms, but i think that it could be possible. Among the Papua (New Guinea) or the Maori, in the early 1900, the stone axe were passed from father to son as a great simbol of power.

16th April 2005, 05:57 AM	#3
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	Nice Ikul Lew and Flavio....when I first started collecting an African specialist took me under his wing, with the Ikula being by far his preferred weapon style (sorry for the reminiscing) so they've made an impression on me ever since, yet it's one piece I've never been fortunate enough to win or possess.. Very elegant weapons that apparently have a high place in the rank/prestige and ceremonial categories as well. (A three-fer?grin) Mike