Asymmetric knife "epalang" - Mbuun/Yanzi - DR Congo

• Rare asymmetrical discoid epalang knife Mbuun / Yanzi / Ngul / Hungaan

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Dimensions: 29 × 16 cm

• Period: Late 19th – very early 20th century

• Weight: 277 g

• Provenance: former collection Michel Maes, Maastricht, Holland (real estate developer and owner of the Van Ooys castle, in Maastricht);
Auction house Hessink's, Maastricht.

• Condition: Excellent condition for an epalang of this period. Only a slight nick visible at the tip of the handle.

— Description and ethnographic context:

The epalang is distinguished by its singular design: a discoid asymmetrical blade, often featuring wavy, exaggerated shapes, characteristics of the most beautiful known specimens. Available research — still limited — indicates these were prestige objects used during ceremonies or by healers.

Discoid asymmetrical knives of the epalang type have been collected among the Dzing, Hungaan, Lwer, Mbuun, Ngul, Pindi and Yanzi (Elsen, De fer et de fierté, 2003).

— Characteristics of the specimen:

This knife is very well balanced and has a pleasant weight despite its 29 cm. The through tang protrudes at the end of the handle, where the wood is not covered by copper wire or iron plates, allowing examination of the wood and appreciation of its age. The tang protrudes from the handle with a very strong corrosion. This is normal, since one does not clean a metal piece embedded in wood with anti-corrosion products for fear of damaging it.

— The last four photographs confirm the identity of our knife "Yanzi/Ngul" by finding an identical epalang kept at the British Museum, which was collected in Congo in 1907 by the Hungarian anthropologist Emil Torday. Between 1907 and 1909, Torday led a large mission in the Congo Basin for the British Museum, gathering over 3000 objects, including many masterpieces of the Kuba kingdom. We locate this same knife collected by Torday in the book "Georges Grenfell and the Congo" by the English author Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston and published in 1908 by Hutchinson & co. It notes a provenance "Bayanzi" and "Ngul". This, at the time, was already relevant.

This British specimen presents the same blade form, with a slightly “cut” tip, forged as is; the same type of handle, covered with hammered iron plates, yellow and red copper wires and another hammered iron inlay to finish. The same central groove engraved is found on our knife, which is a fairly rare feature.

— Sold with the invoice from Hessink’s auction house.

— Careful, insured delivery, with tracking number (Bpost)