Short sword 'losandja' - Mbole - DR Congo

Short sword 'Losandja' Mbole
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Total length: 42 cm
Materials: wrought iron, wood, red copper
Period: early 20th century
Provenance: Swedish auction house; Sven-Erik Johansson's collection, Varberg, Sweden.

This elegant short sword, called losandja, was primarily used as a symbol of status and prestige, but also during ceremonial dances. It was made by the Mbole, talented and prolific copper smiths from the Congo, renowned in the West for their circular copper ankle bracelets.

In the 1920s, the Mbole began using European iron, and as a result, Mbole knives became wider and longer (Elsen, De Fer et de Fierté, 2003).

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