Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


124 - African Shona Dagger with Copper Wire Braiding

A nicely made dagger, attributed by Lew to the Shona people and dated circa 1920 to 1940. The double edged blade is just over 9½ inches in length and shows the typical reversed symmetry so characteristic of African edged weapons with a faintly shallowed surface leading from the central spine to one edge and a flat surface leading to the opposite. An oval to round wooden handle is decorated with well-braided copper wire and the wooden sheath is similarly adorned. A raised flange bears a hole for a cord. Overall length is just over 14½ inches with a weight of 8.6 ounces.




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