Prestige Blade Inspired by a Throwing Knife with Inauthentic Grip
Ngombe / Doko / Mbanja / Ngbaka, D.R. Congo
Iron, monitor skin
Early 20th century; Grip added after 2013

This prestige blade was purchased at auction around 2010, photographed with the grip entirely missing (below). It was later traded to a French dealer in 2013, still with no grip. That same French dealer sold the piece to me in 2016, with a monitor-skin grip. 

This blade is an excellent demonstration of a dishonest dealer taking an authentic object and trying to add value to it by secretely modifying it with contemporary materials that can pass as old materials. 

15.25 in :: 39 cm

InventoryID #13-982

Not For Sale