Asymmetric Prestige Blade
Fur, Sudan (Darfur)
Forged iron, copper, textile
Late 19th century

Formerly in the collection of English ethnographic collector and dealer W. D. Webster, with remnants of his inventory number (B-51) written in red on the lower stem. His personal collection was sold in 1904, this piece then being acquired by Detroit pharmaceutical magnate Frederick Sterns (died 1924). Sterns donated numerous objects to the Detroit Museum of Art (now the Detroit Institute of Arts), including this piece.

This blade type is a perfect example of the Sudanese aesthetic, because it is completely distinctive from any weapon from any other culture or time period in world history.

Westerdijk describes this style as being one that was "obviously never intended to serve any utilitarian purpose as weapons or tools," and is best described as "nonpractical. where fantasy and impracticality seem to have taken over from utility."

There are numerous hypotheses about the purpose of these blades, such as for ceremony (Westerdijk claims "their function must be sought to lie in the ceremonial field"), or possibly for sale as the earliest souvenir types, but regrettably, historical information is extremely scarce, if not completely absent, and so we are left to infer meaning from what little data we have. The weaponry of the Nuba of southeastern Kordofan, who inhabit the mountains of the same name, is purely ceremonial.

Most specimens of this type were obtained in either Egypt or the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, chiefly during the last two decades of the 19th century (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

A relevant note here, Westerdijk mentioned how "the shining surface is often cleaned of iron scale by means of a file, which has left clear marks on the iron." While this piece is in excellent condition, it certainly bears such filing marks. The transposition of the central axis is a highlight, not found on every example, and the presence of four copper rivets is quite uncommon. 

Mounted on a custom display stand, pictured below. 

Published: Lefebvre, Luc. The Throwing Knives: The Northern Knives. 2019. Plate 145.

17.5 :: 44.5 cm

InventoryID #13-1201

Price on Request