[Tim Simmons]

There seems little doubt that artist in the Congo were familar with copper alloys. I cannot upload a whole book. Here are some snippets. It is not fully explained what they mean by the colour of "china" it could be the gild on china. The artists knew about colour wether it was native smelted and alloyed or made from import metals. Making leaf would not be a problem for such artists and smiths. The brass blade and finish all suggest it to be one of the many objets de luxe made for the court. This book is well worth getting.