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MILLON
169
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Throwing knife. Wrought iron and copper, old patina and mark…
See original version (French)
169
-
Throwing knife. Wrought iron and copper, old patina and mark…
See original version (French)
Estimate €300 - €500
Voluntary lot
Description
Throwing knife.
Wrought iron and copper, old patina and marks of use
Ngbaka Mabo, Democratic Republic of Congo - Republic of Congo - Central African Republic border, late 19th - early 20th century
32.2 × 29.6 cm
This type of throwing knife belonged to the weapons of prestige and combat used by the Ngbaka Mabo. The complex shapes of these weapons, combining efficiency and graphic design, also helped to assert the wearer's status.
The sharply cut silhouette of this weapon was a feature of several Sudanese products from the Mahdist period. Similar examples were adopted by certain Mahdist fighters at the end of the 19th century, probably as a result of the slaves and converts from more southerly regions of Central Africa who enlisted in these armies. These circulations bear witness to the exchange of forms and the movement of populations across the African continent.
The tension of the lines, the asymmetrical balance of the blades and the graphic strength of the composition give this weapon a particularly sculptural presence.
Bibliography:
Jan Elsen, De fer et de fierté. Armes blanches d'Afrique noire du musée Barbier-Mueller, 5 Continents / musée Barbier-Mueller / musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, 2013, p. 80 for a close copy.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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