African War Club??

[drac2k]

I just picked up this war club or at least I think it is. It is 19" long, almost 4" in diameter at the head. It has the weight and feel of a fighting club, however, the face carving would make it impractical for such.
Does anyone know what this is and where it comes from?

[Richard G]

why not a picture of the face?
Regards
Richard

[drac2k]

A club so ugly that one can not see the face..........the last picture; I'll try to take a better one.

[kronckew]

My African face club discussion for comparison:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19589&highlight=face

[drac2k]

I think I found my long lost brother! With the offset head, I feel mine could be patterned after a Massi Rungu Club.

[kronckew]

Good possibility...
My rungu for comparison. One ebony, one from a lighter wood. Your back-of-the-head photo hints at a lighter wood, stained or fire blackened.

[drac2k]

3 more pictures that are a little better.

[Lee]

Lew had one of these (http://www.vikingsword.com/lew/w1040/w1040.html) in his collection:

[drac2k]

Interesting comparison; are we sure that mine is African?

[Duccio]

Health to all,
of course I have no idea if it could be an object similar to that of drac2K, but I found this one, offered at an auction, defined as "This anthropomorphic Makonde sculpture is the plug of a medicine box. It would close a calabash, filled with magical substances. The face faithfully reproduces the traditional Makonde scarifications, aesthetic criteria valuing the members of the tribe."
From Mozambique.
This item is 24cm (about 10 inches) long.

[Richard G]

The pierced ears suggest there was some form of decoration, which would not be of much help if it were a club. I suspect it is a wand or sceptre, that kind of thing, or even simply a toy or doll.
Regards
Richard

[Tim Simmons]

This one is bit of a beast. 55cm long the head is 15cm x 13cm a circumference of roughly 42cm, inlay with a white metal most probably aluminium. Sorry about the rubbish photo but a little sort of light and using the flash.

[drac2k]

Your example, though better carved than mine, I think more closely resembles the facial features of my club; especially the ears and the nose. Do you know where it comes from?

[Tim Simmons]

I am not completely sure but I think it may be from the former French Gabon.

[drac2k]

Awesome piece!

[Tim Simmons]

Thank you. It is quite impressive and because it was hidden on a shelf when I liquidated the bulk of my collection, I have it still which I am pleased about. I base the Gabon origin on the style of head and faces of Gabon relicquary box carved figures. You can see from this example.