Assegai (Ngumba) Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda

Congoblades · 25th September 2012, 01:06 PM

A lovely assegai from the Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda tribe, DR Congo/Angola.
Lenght is 97 cm. Simular assegai in the book Fatal Beauty.
First time I have seen this in real, now it's mine

There is a thin layer of varnish that must be removed...

colin henshaw · 25th September 2012, 02:18 PM

Fine piece. How do you intend removing the varnish ?

Regards.

Congoblades · 25th September 2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Fine piece. How do you intend removing the varnish ?

It's a thin layer of varnish, some rubbing with acetone on a cloth will do the job.

VANDOO · 25th September 2012, 07:43 PM

A BEAUTIFUL ITEM OF AS GOOD A QUALITY AS THE EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK. CONGRADULATIONS

ITS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE THE METAL ENDS AND THE WOOD BEGINS AT THE POINT ? I ASSUME THIS IS A PRESTIEGE OR EMBLEM OF RANK RATHER THAN FOR USE AS A SPEAR.

Atlantia · 26th September 2012, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Congoblades

It's a thin layer of varnish, some rubbing with acetone on a cloth will do the job.

It's a very fine item and it looks to have a lovely aged patina under the varnish.
Won't acetone remove the patina as well?

Lew · 26th September 2012, 05:16 AM

I would use some #0000 Steel wool go lightly with it should take the varnish off without damaging the patina

. Then give it a buffing with a horse hair shoe brush.

Freddy · 26th September 2012, 01:24 PM

I wouldn't touch this piece. Leave the varnish on. An African arts dealer once told me that pieces dating from the years before WW II were often varnished. This was done by the European owners to protect the wood of the items in their collection from insect damage when still in Africa.

I think you have a piece with quite some age.

25th September 2012, 01:06 PM	#1
Congoblades Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 171	Assegai (Ngumba) Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda A lovely assegai from the Lwena/Tsjokwe/Lunda tribe, DR Congo/Angola. Lenght is 97 cm. Simular assegai in the book Fatal Beauty. First time I have seen this in real, now it's mine There is a thin layer of varnish that must be removed... Attached Images

25th September 2012, 02:18 PM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Fine piece. How do you intend removing the varnish ? Regards.

25th September 2012, 07:43 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A BEAUTIFUL ITEM OF AS GOOD A QUALITY AS THE EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK. CONGRADULATIONS ITS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE THE METAL ENDS AND THE WOOD BEGINS AT THE POINT ? I ASSUME THIS IS A PRESTIEGE OR EMBLEM OF RANK RATHER THAN FOR USE AS A SPEAR.

26th September 2012, 05:16 AM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I would use some #0000 Steel wool go lightly with it should take the varnish off without damaging the patina . Then give it a buffing with a horse hair shoe brush.

26th September 2012, 01:24 PM	#7
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	I wouldn't touch this piece. Leave the varnish on. An African arts dealer once told me that pieces dating from the years before WW II were often varnished. This was done by the European owners to protect the wood of the items in their collection from insect damage when still in Africa. I think you have a piece with quite some age.