Bet knife "ondo" - Mbugbu/Banda - DR Congo

Throwing knife "ondo" Banda/Mbugbu
Congo DRC/Central African Republic
Total height: 41 cm
Materials: wrought iron, vegetal fibers
Period: early 20th century (possibly late 19th century)
Provenance: ex. Luc Lefebvre collection, France; ex. Mats Sigelfeldt collection, Sweden

The 19th century, marked by turmoil, long migrations and inter-tribal wars, led to the Banda, once united, dispersing over a vast geographic area into small independent populations speaking around fifty distinct dialects. Likewise, Banda weapons exhibit a wide diversity of styles, often radically diverging from the traditional aesthetics.

Banda knives were historically reserved for military use (for stopping the advance of an enemy force, for example), but their function evolved after the 1920s to include peaceful and spiritual purposes, such as instruments for ritual dance. This metamorphosis is the combined result of the decline of conflicts in the 20th century and the Banda’s persistent emotional connection to their knives (Westerdijk, 1988).

This type of knife is not common and is highly sought after. Its handle, made of raffia fibers, partly remaining, demonstrates that this knife is very old. Last photograph of a Togbo man (Banda group) with a very similar knife but with the tips of the upper blades rounded – 1910 (photo Allan Slatec, France – Mémoire Africaine). Excellent provenance.

May, at the bidder’s request, be sold with the invoice from the Crafoord Auktioner auction house – Lund (Sweden)

Careful, insured delivery with tracking number.