A Fine Mandinka Ivory Dagger
Mandinka / Mandé / Soninke
French West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania)
Last half 19th century (ca. 1875)
Steel, elephant ivory, brass
Blade: 20,3cm
Hilt & Blade: 30,5cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 59

A fine dagger of the West African Mande speaking people. The steel blade is straight, double- edged, with a slightly raised medial central plane ending in chamfered edges. Chevron engravings near the tip. Reinforced ricasso seated in a brass oval spacer. Hilt carved from elephant ivory with stacked segments of brass spacers and a brass domed pommel. Missing its sheath. A fine quality knife with a graceful ivory patina.

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1852-0930-35-a

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-9066-a

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-5319

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1978-22-443-a

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=924

• http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?8-mandingo-36-4-cm

• http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?0-5-mandingo-dagger-36-42-cm

• https://ertribal.com/index.php/tribal-art/archive/dagger-sheath-manding-mandingo-west-africa

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=3999

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=1961