Copper Prestige Blade
Mondzombo, Northwest D.R. Congo
Forged copper, wood, brass wire, iron wire, brass tacks
Early 20th century

The Mondzombo (often called the Bondjo), who are mostly fisherman, live in the far northwestern corner of the D.R. Congo, just west of the Ngombe and Ngbaka. Some Mondzombo knife handles are composed of unadorned wood, while others (such as this piece) are lavishly decorated, and incorporate different metal types for added flair. Most Mondzombo blades, however, are composed of forged iron, making this copper example even more fantastic (Westerdijk, African Metal Implements, 1984).

18.75 in :: 47.5 cm

InventoryID #13-957

SOLD