Fine Azande Prestige Sickle Sword
Azande or neighboring people
Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Early 20th century (ca. 1920)
Elephant ivory, iron
Blade: 48,3cm
Hilt & Blade: 57,8cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2022

Ex. Dutch Private Collection: Brusselseweg, Netherlands (2022)

A fine sickle sword originating from the Azande people or neighboring tribes. The hilt, closely related in style to the Mangbetu, is finely carved elephant ivory similar in form to sape knives. The sickle shaped steel blade is of high iron content with three notchings at its base and flared at the tip. While most examples have wooden hilts, it is less common to find ivory on sickle swords handles. The blade is old and well worn while the hilt is in very good condition, suggesting that it may have been an old replacement at some point in its lifetime.

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=782

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=7138

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-989

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1954-23-943

• https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/142308

• https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/folk-art/tribal-art/ceremonial-sickle-knife-design-handle-zande-people-drc/id-f_28693762/