African sword ID
 

I recently purchased this sword from ebay, it has not arrived yet but the seller had good pictures of it. Also the seller listed it as possibly Ngbandi or Yakoma but I do not have the expertise to distinguish. Help in identifying it will be greatly appreciated. :)

http://i3.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/1b/60/a236_3.JPG
http://i12.ebayimg.com/01/i/001/1b/60/a13b_3.JPG
http://i4.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/1b/60/a2ec_3.JPG
http://i8.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/1b/60/a36b_3.JPG
http://i21.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/1b/60/a0c7_3.JPG

Who was the seller??

Looks nice. This is the only info I have but the French and Belgian members have very good reference. This info is from an inexpensive pbk "Armes traditionnelles d'Afrique {dagues, poignards, glaives, epees, tranchet et couperets} Where it is said that these are varried forms of knife from Ngbandi, Yakoma, Ngombe, Doko, pretty much what your seller said. I like it when there are maps to help info.

I can not thank you enough Tim Simmons, that was very helpful.

to LOUIEBLADES, the seller was mapico1.

Redsabre

If Danny aka Mapico tells you its Ngbandi or Yakoma than you can bank on that description. :) You did well.

Congrats


Lew

Yep. Rely on Mapico...he knows his stuff. ;)

Thanks for the advice.

I had this sword in hand, I think Ngombe / Doko, more than Ngbandi / Yakoma, because of the specific engravings and signature.
We can see this sort of decoration on Ngombe / Doko execution knife also.
But, we are in the same area, I'm going to search in my books
Luc

Ngombe Doko in "Beauté Fatale"
Luc

Ngbandi in "African Weapons"
Luc

Voila!

Look at these engravings on Ngombe Doko execution knives, they are very similar to the one on the sword.
Luc

A Ngbandi blade with a Ngombe hilt? Could be there was intertribal trading between the two groups?

Lew

Very nice observations Luc LEFEBVRE, thanks for all the information.