Songye brass adze

Tim Simmons · 8th November 2008, 07:44 PM

Freddy, Luc, Danny et al. What do you make of this? I have had my eye on it for well over a year but today the price was finally low enough for me to snap it up. It appears to be polished copper but looking with care you can see that it is gilded with a gold alloy even the copper nails are gilded. I have tied as best I can to show pictures where the gild has worn and the copper can be seen, not easy with just point and snap ability. When I got home I did tests with 18ct and 9ct test acids. There was no reaction to the 18ct test but there was to the 9ct test. I think it is probably less than 9ct, more a copper wash with just enough gold to resist tarnish and to give colour. The blade is 18cm long, the handle 47cm long. I know gilding is ancient but in the Congo/Central Africa? It has seen use, mid 20th century?

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th November 2008, 10:44 PM

Maybe an order made by a belgian settler ?
Typical Songye adze have iron blade with copper inlay, and a handle cover of copper.
Luc

Tim Simmons · 9th November 2008, 05:14 PM

On close inspection I think this has been done by leaf after the construction of the object. I have information on gold work and leaf from West Africa but nothing on real sub-Saharan Africa. The question is-- has the leaf been made locally or is it an import? I can see no reason why Songye? smiths/artists did not have the skills or materials at hand. I do not think Songye means an isolated people.

Mapico1 · 9th November 2008, 11:28 PM

Hi Tim,
handle is probably a Tetela one who also have multiple-dot decoration on other types of their axes and on their spears.
Blade however is not right in my opinion,wrong angle,shape and not long enough.About gold...????? don't know...not seen before.
Regards,
Danny

Tim Simmons · 10th November 2008, 08:05 AM

Thank you Danny, a very ostentatious piece. Luckily I got it for a snip so I have just about enough money to get a copy of a book "The red gold of Africa" and hope that there may be some answers on the use of copper alloys and leaf. Chapter 4 looks promising.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=C...gold+of+africa

Tim Simmons · 10th November 2008, 09:40 AM

Just looking around, this is the kind of copper alloy I am thinking about. Used as a leaf to gild.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_brass

Tim Simmons · 20th November 2008, 06:23 PM

There seems little doubt that artist in the Congo were familar with copper alloys. I cannot upload a whole book. Here are some snippets. It is not fully explained what they mean by the colour of "china" it could be the gild on china. The artists knew about colour wether it was native smelted and alloyed or made from import metals. Making leaf would not be a problem for such artists and smiths. The brass blade and finish all suggest it to be one of the many objets de luxe made for the court. This book is well worth getting.

Tim Simmons · 20th November 2008, 08:23 PM

Other goods from the Gold coast could come the other way.

8th November 2008, 07:44 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Songye brass adze Freddy, Luc, Danny et al. What do you make of this? I have had my eye on it for well over a year but today the price was finally low enough for me to snap it up. It appears to be polished copper but looking with care you can see that it is gilded with a gold alloy even the copper nails are gilded. I have tied as best I can to show pictures where the gild has worn and the copper can be seen, not easy with just point and snap ability. When I got home I did tests with 18ct and 9ct test acids. There was no reaction to the 18ct test but there was to the 9ct test. I think it is probably less than 9ct, more a copper wash with just enough gold to resist tarnish and to give colour. The blade is 18cm long, the handle 47cm long. I know gilding is ancient but in the Congo/Central Africa? It has seen use, mid 20th century? Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 8th November 2008 at 07:52 PM. Reason: spelling

8th November 2008, 10:44 PM	#2
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	Maybe an order made by a belgian settler ? Typical Songye adze have iron blade with copper inlay, and a handle cover of copper. Luc Attached Images

9th November 2008, 11:28 PM	#4
Mapico1 Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 86	Songye....Nsapo.........Tetela Hi Tim, handle is probably a Tetela one who also have multiple-dot decoration on other types of their axes and on their spears. Blade however is not right in my opinion,wrong angle,shape and not long enough.About gold...????? don't know...not seen before. Regards, Danny

20th November 2008, 06:23 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	There seems little doubt that artist in the Congo were familar with copper alloys. I cannot upload a whole book. Here are some snippets. It is not fully explained what they mean by the colour of "china" it could be the gild on china. The artists knew about colour wether it was native smelted and alloyed or made from import metals. Making leaf would not be a problem for such artists and smiths. The brass blade and finish all suggest it to be one of the many objets de luxe made for the court. This book is well worth getting. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 20th November 2008 at 06:33 PM.

20th November 2008, 08:23 PM	#8
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Other goods from the Gold coast could come the other way. Attached Images

9th November 2008, 05:14 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	On close inspection I think this has been done by leaf after the construction of the object. I have information on gold work and leaf from West Africa but nothing on real sub-Saharan Africa. The question is-- has the leaf been made locally or is it an import? I can see no reason why Songye? smiths/artists did not have the skills or materials at hand. I do not think Songye means an isolated people.

10th November 2008, 08:05 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Thank you Danny, a very ostentatious piece. Luckily I got it for a snip so I have just about enough money to get a copy of a book "The red gold of Africa" and hope that there may be some answers on the use of copper alloys and leaf. Chapter 4 looks promising. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=C...gold+of+africa

10th November 2008, 09:40 AM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Just looking around, this is the kind of copper alloy I am thinking about. Used as a leaf to gild. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_brass