Leaf Knife
Kota / Kele / Mbete (Mbédé)/ Mboshi / Mfinu / Nzabi, Gabon / Rep. of Congo
Forged iron, wood, brass, iron staples and plate
Late 19th / early 20th century

This is an old, widely recognized form, but there is unfortunately very little knowledge about its origin and meaning. The type is widely documented in books, museums, and private collections. Most commonly, it is called a “leaf knife” because of its shape, and it is typically attributed to groups from Gabon or the Republic of Congo. But aside from those basic tidbits, not much more information seems to exist.

In Ratzel’s The History of Mankind (1895), one leaf knife is illustrated among a group of objects from Gabon (here). The Quai Branly labels theirs “Kota” (1963), as does the AMNH (1964). H. Westerdijk asserted that these knives were made by the Pomo, Boumali, and southern Baya (Ijzerwerk van central-afrika, 1975). P. Westerdijk labels them “war knives” without elaborating, stating they were typical of the Kota and their southern and southeastern neighbors, including the Mbamba (African Metal Implements, 1984). Agthe’s Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika (1985) attributes one to the Sanga-Gebeit of the Republic of Congo. The 1992 book Beaute Fatale labels one an Mfinu (Mboshi) short sword (1992). Tirri’s Islamic and Native Weapons of Colonial Africa (2007), labels them Fang / Kota / Mfina / Boumali. Panga na Visu labels them prestige items, and attributes them to the Kota / Mbamba / Kele / Njawi / Mbete (Zirngibl & Kubetz, 2009). Elsen identifies one as Fang in Fatal Beauty (2009). Ballarini’s comprehensive book on currencies (2009) illustrates a Fang currency called Ekola made of iron that strongly resembles the leaf shape. Therein it was described as belonging to the monetary system and being used for dowry (however, this was an entirely iron form that simply resembled the leaf knife). Zevi’s Africa (2015) published a Kota knife with a brass-covered reliquary handle that was also exhibited in the 2018 exhibition at the UCLA Fowler Museum, “Striking Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths,” which has an iron blade in the leaf shape.

All of these references give us tribal names to associate with this knife: southern Baya, Boumali, Fang, Kele, Kota, Mbamba, Mbete, Mboshi, Mfina, Mfinu, Njawi, Pomo, Sanga-Gebeit. But aside from brief suggestions of being war knives, prestige blades, or currency items, there isn’t any dialogue about their function, meaning, or purpose.

Bastide’s Armes traditionelles d’Afrique (dagues, poignards, glaives, épées, tranchets et couperets) (2003) makes an interesting suggestion: “This dagger is present in various ethnic groups from western D.R. Congo (Saka, Kele, Kundu, Mongo, Mfinu), Mboshi in eastern Rep. of Congo, and Kota Nzabi, and Mbete in central Gabon. The wide dispersion of the weapon might be the result of its simplicity.” 

Mounted on a custom display stand, pictured below. 

21.75 in :: 55 cm

InventoryID #13-1197

SOLD