Small club ? Throwing stick ? Chief's Regalia ?

katana · 5th September 2009, 05:04 PM

Hi,
interesting small club ....hard and heavy for its size. Attached a label ....Rhodesia seems about right... judging by the wood. Wire work, typical for the area, is 'coated' (paint ?) copper.
Curious tapered hole in the handle....either a pommel / butt piece was attached there ....or perhaps a staff ?.

I appreciate that the label could be wrong, but it has been there for some time ( judging from the mark left by the string ) Has some age overall and could easily see this as mid 20th C (2nd world war era ? )

All comments gratefully received

Regards David

Tim Simmons · 7th September 2009, 06:55 AM

Dance baton? Perhaps a fly whisk with the hair missing?

colin henshaw · 7th September 2009, 08:32 PM

Hi

Looks like it was made for a spear point to me. The Shona in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) produced items with a rifle/gun butt shape, and this has that appearance. The wirework is typical for the area.

Maybe an early made for resale item, missing the metal spearhead.

Regards

katana · 8th September 2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Hi

Looks like it was made for a spear point to me. The Shona in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) produced items with a rifle/gun butt shape, and this has that appearance. The wirework is typical for the area.

Maybe an early made for resale item, missing the metal spearhead.

Regards

Hi Colin

,
thank you for the reply. Have you any pictures of Shona examples ? I assume that these rifle stock shaped spears are more symbolic than functional ?
Even without the spearhead, this has great balance as a club and has more 'handling marks' at the thinner end. There is no doubt that this would be a very effective 'bludgeoning' tool.

I am also surprised that there are very few examples of African 'gun stock' or similarly shaped clubs. Especially when 'edged' clubs are so common in Polynesia and the America's.

All the best
David

colin henshaw · 8th September 2009, 10:59 AM

Hi David

Here is an image from an old sale catalogue I have to hand...you can see both a knobkerrie and spear that incorporate the gunstock shape.

I've seen examples of knives from Zimbabwe in the form of an AK47. Wooden copies of European firearms also occurred in Ethiopia and West Africa, if my memory serves me well...

Isn't there an axe from South East Africa, in the British Museum that has the handle in the form of a rifle ?

Best regards
Colin

katana · 12th September 2009, 07:43 PM

Hi Colin,
thank you so much for the image you have posted. Interesting examples

Kind Regards David

5th September 2009, 05:04 PM	#1
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Small club ? Throwing stick ? Chief's Regalia ? Hi, interesting small club ....hard and heavy for its size. Attached a label ....Rhodesia seems about right... judging by the wood. Wire work, typical for the area, is 'coated' (paint ?) copper. Curious tapered hole in the handle....either a pommel / butt piece was attached there ....or perhaps a staff ?. I appreciate that the label could be wrong, but it has been there for some time ( judging from the mark left by the string ) Has some age overall and could easily see this as mid 20th C (2nd world war era ? ) All comments gratefully received Regards David Attached Images

8th September 2009, 10:59 AM	#5
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Hi David Here is an image from an old sale catalogue I have to hand...you can see both a knobkerrie and spear that incorporate the gunstock shape. I've seen examples of knives from Zimbabwe in the form of an AK47. Wooden copies of European firearms also occurred in Ethiopia and West Africa, if my memory serves me well... Isn't there an axe from South East Africa, in the British Museum that has the handle in the form of a rifle ? Best regards Colin Attached Images

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7th September 2009, 06:55 AM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Dance baton? Perhaps a fly whisk with the hair missing?

7th September 2009, 08:32 PM	#3
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Hi Looks like it was made for a spear point to me. The Shona in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) produced items with a rifle/gun butt shape, and this has that appearance. The wirework is typical for the area. Maybe an early made for resale item, missing the metal spearhead. Regards

12th September 2009, 07:43 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Colin, thank you so much for the image you have posted. Interesting examples Kind Regards David