Brass-Plated Dagger with Sheath
Fang, Gabon
Forged iron, wood, Ornate monitor skin, leather, brass plates, handmade copper staples
Late 19th century
This knife type is much less common than the famous fa blades of the Fang, and clearly exhibits similarities with masks and figures plated in brass from the 19th century.
There is a comparable example in the Musée du quai Branly collection, which can be seen here. Another related example was illustrated in Friedrich Ratzel's The History of Mankind (1895, p. 337), and can be seen here. More recently, a similar piece was illustrated in Perrois & Grébert, Le Gabon de Fernand Grébert 1913-1932, 2003.
Mounted on a custom display stand, pictured below.
13.5 in :: 34 cm
InventoryID #13-1140
SOLD
