A Rare Ngbandi / Boa Mambeli Short Sword
A Rare Ngbandi / Boa Mambeli Short Sword
Boa / Ngbandi / Angba / Bandia or surrounding neighbors
Uele District, Congo Free State - Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1910)
Hippopotamus ivory, steel
Blade: 34,9cm
Hilt & Blade: 41,9cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 316
Ex. Scott Bergmans Collection: Lommel, Belgium (2022)
Ex. Belgian Collection: (ca. 1900)
Short sword known as a mambeli from the tribes of the Boa, Ngbandi, and the numerous surrounding subsect neighbors of the Congo. These short swords served as symbols of status among the men and were distributed extensively throughout the region in diverse varieties.
This example has a double-edged steel blade with one side raised, the other side forged lower, separated by a fuller. The other side of the blade is reversed offset. Four small holes are cut in the middle. The blade tapers to a strong point. The handle is carved from hippopotamus tusk in an x- shape hilt. It is uncommon to find hippo carved hilts as most are composed of wood or elephant ivory. From an old Belgian collection. Ca 1900.
The last photo displays the knife in the old collection.