Mandinka Knife

AVAILABLE: $125 + Shipping

Mandinka Knife
Mandinka
French West Africa - The Gambia Colony and Protectorate (The Gambia), French Guinea - Portuguese Guinea (Guinea), French Sudan (Mali), Senegambia (Senegal - Gambia), Ivory Coast
Mid- 20th century (ca. 1930 - 1960)
Steel, leather, vegetal fiber
Blade: 15,9cm
Hilt & Blade: 22,2cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 26cm
Collection Date: 2016
Collection Number: 77

A knife originating from the Mandinka People of West Africa, known particularly for their intricate tooled and plaited leatherwork. This dagger has a thickened steel of double- edged type blade that tapers to a point. Leather wrapped hilt with plaited leather strips and blonde wicker. The sheath is consistent in the same decorative manner in leather covering with plaited leather strips and blonde wicker over a wood interior. The chape of leather tassles. Attached is a braided leather loop to help secure the knife in place. This knife dates to around the mid- 20th century.