Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


210 - African Zulu Small Head Knobkerrie Club with Wire Wrappings, Late 19th Century

A Zulu knobkerrie club measuring 26¾ inches (68 cm) in length with a small very slightly elongated spherical head that is 2¼ inches (5.7 cm) in diameter and decorated with a number of iron nails. The shaft is wrapped with several cylinders of woven brass wire with a central contrasting zone of iron wire. The wrapping at the end opposite from the head is all brass wire. A few imperfections are seen in the wire wrapping most likely representing old damage rather than poor workmanship and there is evidence of old corrosion of the iron wire. The wire wrappings appear to have been gently polished and are in good condition overall. The club weighs 10 2/3 ounces (309 grams). Lew dated this example as circa 1890.




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