Thoughts on this lot from ebay

mross · 11th May 2006, 06:00 PM

I agree, probably could not go wrong. My thoughts where the top kalis looks to have a older, possibly 19th century style blade. It is my understanding though that the horse hoof pommel was rare at that time. If they turn out to be Datu quality and 19th C. then the buyer has hit the lottery.

doecon · 11th May 2006, 06:17 PM

Auctionfloor bidder won this item. They probably had a much better view on the items then we had trough the ebay-stamp-sized version. If it would have been such a catch, makes one wonder why no other bidder at their location jumped in. Maybe you should be on their floor next time

Rick · 11th May 2006, 06:52 PM

Is that really a shotel in the mix ; or another form of African sword ?

Flavio · 11th May 2006, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Is that really a shotel in the mix ; or another form of African sword ?

Hello Rick. There is no shotel at all. Only the first from left in the lower row is a bandia-benge sword from north congo.

Rick · 11th May 2006, 07:36 PM

Thanks Flavio !
Any chance these swords would have been carried in the Mahdist Uprising ?
Just curious .

ariel · 11th May 2006, 07:42 PM

I always knew them as Mambele from the Azande tribe. In the most recent version of "Three feathers" Sudanese dervishes emerged from under the sand and attacked the Brits with these swords. I thought that was just Hollywood confusion. Any evidence that West or Central African Moslems participated in the Mahdi rebellion?

Flavio · 11th May 2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

I always knew them as Mambele from the Azande tribe. In the most recent version of "Three feathers" Sudanese dervishes emerged from under the sand and attacked the Brits with these swords. I thought that was just Hollywood confusion. Any evidence that West or Central African Moslems participated in the Mahdi rebellion?

Hello Ariel. The azande swords are a little different and more rare: the point is wider and are less curved than the one on the ebay, that, to tell you the truth, i have watched wrong because this one isn't a Bandia-Benge as i have written, but a mongelima kondo (TRIBAL ARTS vol I/n1, pag 58). In the film "The Four Feathers", the last one, some dervishes carry in hand some swords that are very similar to those of the Bandia-Benge (mambeli).

picture 1: group of Mongelima kondo
picture 2: group of bandia benge mambeli
picture 3: two azande sword

11th May 2006, 06:00 PM	#1
mross Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 478	I agree, probably could not go wrong. My thoughts where the top kalis looks to have a older, possibly 19th century style blade. It is my understanding though that the horse hoof pommel was rare at that time. If they turn out to be Datu quality and 19th C. then the buyer has hit the lottery.

11th May 2006, 06:17 PM	#2
doecon Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 63	Auctionfloor bidder won this item. They probably had a much better view on the items then we had trough the ebay-stamp-sized version. If it would have been such a catch, makes one wonder why no other bidder at their location jumped in. Maybe you should be on their floor next time

11th May 2006, 06:52 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	Is that really a shotel in the mix ; or another form of African sword ?

11th May 2006, 07:36 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,347	Thanks Flavio ! Any chance these swords would have been carried in the Mahdist Uprising ? Just curious .

11th May 2006, 07:42 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I always knew them as Mambele from the Azande tribe. In the most recent version of "Three feathers" Sudanese dervishes emerged from under the sand and attacked the Brits with these swords. I thought that was just Hollywood confusion. Any evidence that West or Central African Moslems participated in the Mahdi rebellion?