Old fish-lungfish scepter club,

[francantolin]

Hello dear members,
I found this original club, a fish or lungfish scepter club, which I fell in love with for its original shape and its pretty substantial weight, 1.1 kg /2,4 pounds and 50 cm / 19,7 inches long. Early-mid 20th century ?
A mixture of carved hardwood and metal parts makes it look African, but the wood looks more like Oceanic ironwood. I haven't seen anything like it.
I don't think it's made for fishermen to stun large fish out of the water, more as a ritual object, but given its weight, it must cause some damage if used...
Any idea about origîn and age ?

[Tim Simmons]

Nice looks West African to me. Ritual ? Rather like a Recade. Symbol of rebirth coming alive with the rain? like it a lot cannot be that common.

[francantolin]

Thank’s a lot Tim for your message !!

Looking for fish symbolism in Wedt Africa
I found these interesting informations in a nice book ,
Yes it may be a Recade from Dahomey ,
maybe of Gbéhanzin king or made durîng same périod ? Cf pictures.
He was represented as a shark or a freshwater fish .

Cf picture of the shark statue from Quai Branly Muséum in Paris

If it is a lungfish, yes it make sense to be associated with rebirth, long life and rain.

[francantolin]

Here again ,
the cover of the book but with the right size ...
👍👍