African sickle swords

[Edster]

My favorite Four Feathers is the 1939 version. Very good depictions of the Hadendawa and their weapons.

Maybe available on this YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpcHG5h528

Ed

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Edster

My favorite Four Feathers is the 1939 version. Very good depictions of the Hadendawa and their weapons.

Maybe available on this YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpcHG5h528

Ed

Right Ed, know what you mean! The 'old' movies are the best, and in researching these old films, especially back to the early years in Hollywood, it is well known the studios used actual weapons. Bannerman had nothing on these guys, in fact, he probably supplied much of the stock the studios used as props.
I recall some years back when a guy I knew went to an auction where the studios were cleaning house in their warehouses.
The stuff that was acquired by so many collectors was astounding.
Rudy (Valentino ) himself had become quite a collector of old swords acquired during making of films.
Oh.....the old days!

[G. Mansfield]

Here is an Azande prestige sickle sword. The hilt is carved elephant ivory with the typical black linear lines usually seen on Azande work, often on ivory arm daggers. The blade is forged with little decoration. Early 20th century , likely 1920 or 1930 whereabouts. Apologies for the dim lighting conditions, but the kitchen fluorescents are the brightest area on this gloomy fall day.

-Geoffrey

[Sajen]

So far I know only the Ngombe bero from Changdao and the Ngombe mambeli from Wildwolberine related, the enomo, Benge, Boa and Bandia people from Jim is another sickle sword. But I am not an expert at all.

[kronckew]

My Mambele sickle sword:

[Peter B.]

Here are three maps showing the different types of sickle swords and execution swords.
The maps are from the Tribal Arms monographs Vol.1 No.1-3 by Elsen (1,3) and Gosseau (2).

These three volumes describe in detail the weapons depicted and their respective origins.

[Jim McDougall]

Peter thank you for posting these! These are remarkable visual aids to geographically locate the variant styles and tribal associations key to them.
These tribal arms monographs are invaluable, and though there are the language barriers (I think they are in French?) the material is excellent through these kinds of visual presentation.

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Peter thank you for posting these! These are remarkable visual aids to geographically locate the variant styles and tribal associations key to them.
These tribal arms monographs are invaluable, and though there are the language barriers (I think they are in French?) the material is excellent through these kinds of visual presentation.

Hi Jim

These books are a must have for African weapons collectors, they are four languages in the books : English, French, German and Dutch.

Best regards
Marc