papua bone dagger ?

francantolin · 30th April 2019, 09:51 PM

Hello everybody,

I saw this item and could not resist to buy it,
I think it is a papuan bone dagger with his scabbard.
Not too big , total length is 32cm / 12,6 inches

I read that there were/are often made with cassowary bone femur
/ human bone time ago...

I wonder about age, exact origin and kind of bone
( why not ''just'' wild pig femur per example ?? )

An old item ?
What do you think ?

Than you !

kahnjar1 · 1st May 2019, 06:48 AM

What you have is indeed a PNG dagger made from a Cassowary leg bone. More likely the bird rather than a human bone.
The Cassowary has a rather nasty attitude and is well capable of killing a human.
A word of caution here....the CITES agreement could well cover this dagger.
Pic of the nasty bird attached.
Stu

francantolin · 1st May 2019, 10:29 AM

Hello,
Thank you for your comment,

I know they are cassowary in Queensland in Australia too
I went there once years ago but didn't see this really strange bird
( maybe better

... )
Mother nature is amazing !

I didn't find models with a scabbard on internet,
are they common ?

Thank's a lot about the CITES precision

Kind regards

Sajen · 1st May 2019, 02:07 PM

Hello,

At first here an interesting thread about bone daggers: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...at+bone+dagger
Your dagger could be a Dani or Itamul dagger, they come often with this scabbards.

There are no CITES regulations about cassowary articles, only the Australian cassowary is protected so far I know.

Regards,
Detlef

Sajen · 1st May 2019, 02:14 PM

Forget, the real age of your dagger is difficult to determine, this daggers get worked until today, often for the collector market. You need to look to the patination from the bone. Real old or antique ones can be very expensive!

kino · 1st May 2019, 04:29 PM

This one is

Not a tourist item

I believe it was recently up for sale.

Sajen · 2nd May 2019, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kino

This one is

Not a tourist item

I believe it was recently up for sale.

francantolin · 4th May 2019, 02:12 PM

: ) Thank you !

Fo age-patina of the bone,
I guess there are a lot of ''fake'' old item artificially aged
with polish - walnut stain ( brou de noix in french...) per example,

I leave it for specialists ! Especially if it can cost really much !!!

Mine was not expensive, sure not an old one !

Kind regards

Franck

30th April 2019, 09:51 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	papua bone dagger ? Hello everybody, I saw this item and could not resist to buy it, I think it is a papuan bone dagger with his scabbard. Not too big , total length is 32cm / 12,6 inches I read that there were/are often made with cassowary bone femur / human bone time ago... I wonder about age, exact origin and kind of bone ( why not ''just'' wild pig femur per example ?? ) An old item ? What do you think ? Than you ! Attached Images

1st May 2019, 06:48 AM	#2
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	What you have is indeed a PNG dagger made from a Cassowary leg bone. More likely the bird rather than a human bone. The Cassowary has a rather nasty attitude and is well capable of killing a human. A word of caution here....the CITES agreement could well cover this dagger. Pic of the nasty bird attached. Stu Attached Images

1st May 2019, 10:29 AM	#3
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	Hello, Thank you for your comment, I know they are cassowary in Queensland in Australia too I went there once years ago but didn't see this really strange bird ( maybe better ... ) Mother nature is amazing ! I didn't find models with a scabbard on internet, are they common ? Thank's a lot about the CITES precision Kind regards

1st May 2019, 02:07 PM	#4
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Hello, At first here an interesting thread about bone daggers: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...at+bone+dagger Your dagger could be a Dani or Itamul dagger, they come often with this scabbards. There are no CITES regulations about cassowary articles, only the Australian cassowary is protected so far I know. Regards, Detlef

1st May 2019, 02:14 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,781	Forget, the real age of your dagger is difficult to determine, this daggers get worked until today, often for the collector market. You need to look to the patination from the bone. Real old or antique ones can be very expensive!

1st May 2019, 04:29 PM	#6
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,002	This one is Not a tourist item I believe it was recently up for sale.

4th May 2019, 02:12 PM	#8
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	: ) Thank you ! Fo age-patina of the bone, I guess there are a lot of ''fake'' old item artificially aged with polish - walnut stain ( brou de noix in french...) per example, I leave it for specialists ! Especially if it can cost really much !!! Mine was not expensive, sure not an old one ! Kind regards Franck