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#1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
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Hello Everyone,
I would be grateful if someone could verify the origin of this Knife/Sword. I think it may be Ngombe from the Congo but I am not sure. It is a simple but pleasing design with incised patterns on both sides of the double edged blade. On half of one side on each side of the blade looks like a stylised snake or lizard beautifully done, in my opinion. The handle seems to be bone fixed very firmly to the blade shank. O/L16.5 ins, Blade length 13.25 ins x 3 ins wide. Thanking you in anticipation Regards Miguel |
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#2 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I've got a feeling that's not bone.
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#3 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Ian. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 171
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Nice Lokele knife, Congo. Is there a hole in de back of the handle? Most of them have a weight on the handle.
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#5 |
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Location: What is still UK
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Looks like ivory to me. Ni e piece.
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#6 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#7 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#8 |
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Hello Rick and Tim, thanks for your reply Ive always thought it to be bone, it will be interesting to see what the others make of it when the see a photo of the end.
Regards Miguel |
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#9 | |
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![]() Maybe some cleaning/polishing will return it to its former glory. Not that you can't leave it like it is now. |
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#10 |
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Location: Belgium
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It is definitely an old one, how old exactly is hard to tell (some experts can
![]() If the handle has the same age as the blade it would be ivory for sure. About the decoration, I don't see a lizard or snake. |
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#11 |
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Taken out of the symmetry of the blade there could be a snake in the decoration, a common motif on African blades.
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#12 | |
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#13 | |
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![]() Any way I have taken a few more photos and shown the end of the handle from which I hope you can tell whether or not it is bone or ivory. Incidently can you see a snake or lizard on the blade decoration. Regards Miguel |
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#14 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#15 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#16 |
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It's indeed similar to Lokele knives but the general shape of the blade and its decoration point towards the BENGE.
Check this old thread for an example of such BENGE sword in the book "Panga na visu". http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16673 First quarter of the 20th century seems ok. Handle material seems definitely ivory to me. |
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#17 | |
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#18 |
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Ps. nice weapon.
I would not clean or polish anything on this one. Maybe rub the hilt firmly with a clean cotton cloth. Often this is enough to remove old dirt and or grease. Best regards, Willem |
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#19 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#20 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#21 |
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Miguel:
That is definitely elephant ivory on the hilt. The criss-cross pattern in cross section is typical of ivory. As far as a snake or lizard, I can see the general form of a reptile but it may be something else. It's always hard to tell with these geometric shapes and without knowledge of the culture and its artistic preferences I would say it is difficult to be certain what we are looking at. Ian |
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#22 | |
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I have wondered about the size of the hilt as it is to small for my hand. The original owner must have had a small hand. Do you know of any othe reference works on African weapons written in English besides Christopher Spring`s work as all the references on these weapons seem mainly German, French and Belgian works, if so I would be grateful if you would let me know. Regards Miguel |
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#23 |
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It is as I suspected: elephant ivory.
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#24 | |
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This is a good one, not a thick book, but also not expensive. https://www.amazon.com/African-Metal.../dp/B001E2D01E |
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#25 | |
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![]() Regards Miguel |
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#26 | |
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![]() Regards Miguel |
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#27 |
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watch out for CITES. the touchy feely brigade will be out to get you if you ever need to ship it thru a national border or sell it, you will need proof it is antique, only a note from the original elephant is acceptable to them. maybe not even then. see recent thread here on desecration of antique weapons that had antique ivory by those wonderfully informed people at the UK border force for bonham's.
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#28 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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#29 | |
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Regards Miguel |
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