Museum pictures

Flavio · 25th May 2007, 04:59 PM

Hi all, I was able "to steal" some pics at the most important ethnographic museum here in Italy the Museo Nazionale Preistorico ed Etnografico "Luigi Pigorini" in Rome. They have an excellent exposition on Africa (and also one on Oceania, one on the Meso and South America and one on the Prehistory of Italy) and a very big section dedicated to african arms and armours. So here you can see some very wonderful pieces. Enjoy

First Congo (here are only a very small example of the many spears, swords, daggers, knives, shields and more, that you will see if ever will go to the museum)

Flavio · 25th May 2007, 05:05 PM

Marocco - Somalia - Eritrea - Sudan - Etiopia - Kenia

P.S. Sorry some pics are not so sharp

Flavio · 25th May 2007, 05:07 PM

And more...

RomaRana · 25th May 2007, 05:58 PM

What was sword 7 listed as? Was it Maasai or Kikuyu.

Thanks

Flavio · 25th May 2007, 05:59 PM

Masai

Lew · 26th May 2007, 06:49 PM

Flavio

Great photos

and to think that the museum's examples are almost as good as yours and mine are

Lew

Flavio · 26th May 2007, 08:33 PM

Yes Lew, that's true, but really they have some astonishing pieces , especially among the weapons of the Horn of Africa. Take a look at the shotel in these pictures that shows a scabbard covered with silver. Never seen one before!

Lew · 26th May 2007, 11:09 PM

Flavio I was only kidding they do have some extraordinary pieces. Love that shotel.

Lew

CharlesS · 27th May 2007, 03:16 PM

Flavio,

1001 thanks for these superb pics. All the pieces are very nice, but the Ethiopian pieces in particular strike me as spectacular.

I am curious, as well, if the museum publishes a catalog of its stock???

Thanks again!

Flavio · 27th May 2007, 04:11 PM

Hello Charles

Unfortunatly no, there is no catalog

Mark · 27th May 2007, 10:20 PM

Flavio, have you ever been to the Armeria Reale in Torino? It is housed in a wing of the Royal Palace, and has a fabulous collection as well. I remember visiting it as a youngster, long before I embarked on collecting. My recollection is of case after case of beautiful swords, armor, etc., etc.

Flavio · 27th May 2007, 10:52 PM

Hello Mark, no, I have never been to the Armeria Reale (and think that my mom is Piemontese

) so next time that I will go to my uncle I will take a chance to go and see their collections. Thank you

roanoa · 28th May 2007, 01:30 AM

Ciao Flavio and Hi everyone. I just stopped drooling over the Ethiopian swords and shield from the Pigorini collection. I HAVE to go to Rome now!! But, seriously, the short shotel with silver scabbard.... What a fantastic piece. I have never seen one. However, there is one in Stone (I'll have to find it. I think it is "lost" in a large picture of African swords, but it's there). Then there are two in two different drawings by different artists in two different books.... They look identical in design, so I think that they were both inspired by the same photograph. In any case, here they are. The first is a Chief on horseback: Queen Victoria's Enemies (2) Northern Africa - Osprey Men-at-Arms Series #215. The second one is from Italian Colonial Wars 1885/1900 - De Bello Series #7. Both of these are GREAT, and I mean GREAT, reference books with fantastic photographs and drawings. So, those fancy swords must be out there.... Artzi, PLEASE, find me one....

Flavio · 28th May 2007, 11:24 AM

Ciao Roano, well when you will come here I'm

. What do you think about the very large shotel suspended near the wonderful velvet covered shield? That's another of the most interesting piece!

EDIT:

Hello Roano, I was able to take a look at Stone and the sword is more a gilè: it's only circa 18 inch from hilt to point. I also have this old illustration (from The Illustrated London News, June 21, 1884). There are two shotel-gilè one of wich shows a very similar decoration of the scabbard in comparison with the example of the Pigorini, but this one (I mean the one in the museum) it's a "real" sword (long a meter or more).

Mark · 29th May 2007, 03:20 PM

I highly recommend it. It's right downtown on Piazza Castello.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flavio

Hello Mark, no, I have never been to the Armeria Reale (and think that my mom is Piemontese

) so next time that I will go to my uncle I will take a chance to go and see their collections. Thank you

Flavio · 29th May 2007, 03:49 PM

Thank you Mark, I will go!!

Luc LEFEBVRE · 30th May 2007, 12:01 AM

Thanks for the pics Flavio.
Unfortunately no catalog...
Luc

25th May 2007, 04:59 PM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Museum pictures Hi all, I was able "to steal" some pics at the most important ethnographic museum here in Italy the Museo Nazionale Preistorico ed Etnografico "Luigi Pigorini" in Rome. They have an excellent exposition on Africa (and also one on Oceania, one on the Meso and South America and one on the Prehistory of Italy) and a very big section dedicated to african arms and armours. So here you can see some very wonderful pieces. Enjoy First Congo (here are only a very small example of the many spears, swords, daggers, knives, shields and more, that you will see if ever will go to the museum) Attached Images Last edited by Flavio; 25th May 2007 at 05:14 PM.

25th May 2007, 05:07 PM	#3
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	And more... Attached Images

28th May 2007, 01:30 AM	#13
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Ciao Flavio and Hi everyone. I just stopped drooling over the Ethiopian swords and shield from the Pigorini collection. I HAVE to go to Rome now!! But, seriously, the short shotel with silver scabbard.... What a fantastic piece. I have never seen one. However, there is one in Stone (I'll have to find it. I think it is "lost" in a large picture of African swords, but it's there). Then there are two in two different drawings by different artists in two different books.... They look identical in design, so I think that they were both inspired by the same photograph. In any case, here they are. The first is a Chief on horseback: Queen Victoria's Enemies (2) Northern Africa - Osprey Men-at-Arms Series #215. The second one is from Italian Colonial Wars 1885/1900 - De Bello Series #7. Both of these are GREAT, and I mean GREAT, reference books with fantastic photographs and drawings. So, those fancy swords must be out there.... Artzi, PLEASE, find me one.... Attached Images Last edited by roanoa; 28th May 2007 at 01:55 AM.

28th May 2007, 11:24 AM	#14
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Ciao Roano, well when you will come here I'm . What do you think about the very large shotel suspended near the wonderful velvet covered shield? That's another of the most interesting piece! EDIT: Hello Roano, I was able to take a look at Stone and the sword is more a gilè: it's only circa 18 inch from hilt to point. I also have this old illustration (from The Illustrated London News, June 21, 1884). There are two shotel-gilè one of wich shows a very similar decoration of the scabbard in comparison with the example of the Pigorini, but this one (I mean the one in the museum) it's a "real" sword (long a meter or more). Attached Images Last edited by Flavio; 28th May 2007 at 12:36 PM.

25th May 2007, 05:05 PM	#2
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Marocco - Somalia - Eritrea - Sudan - Etiopia - Kenia P.S. Sorry some pics are not so sharp Attached Images Last edited by Flavio; 25th May 2007 at 05:16 PM.

25th May 2007, 05:58 PM	#4
RomaRana Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 58	What was sword 7 listed as? Was it Maasai or Kikuyu. Thanks

25th May 2007, 05:59 PM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Masai

26th May 2007, 06:49 PM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Flavio Great photos and to think that the museum's examples are almost as good as yours and mine are Lew

26th May 2007, 08:33 PM	#7
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Yes Lew, that's true, but really they have some astonishing pieces , especially among the weapons of the Horn of Africa. Take a look at the shotel in these pictures that shows a scabbard covered with silver. Never seen one before!

26th May 2007, 11:09 PM	#8
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Flavio I was only kidding they do have some extraordinary pieces. Love that shotel. Lew

27th May 2007, 03:16 PM	#9
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Flavio, 1001 thanks for these superb pics. All the pieces are very nice, but the Ethiopian pieces in particular strike me as spectacular. I am curious, as well, if the museum publishes a catalog of its stock??? Thanks again!

27th May 2007, 04:11 PM	#10
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Charles Unfortunatly no, there is no catalog

27th May 2007, 10:20 PM	#11
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Flavio, have you ever been to the Armeria Reale in Torino? It is housed in a wing of the Royal Palace, and has a fabulous collection as well. I remember visiting it as a youngster, long before I embarked on collecting. My recollection is of case after case of beautiful swords, armor, etc., etc.

27th May 2007, 10:52 PM	#12
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Mark, no, I have never been to the Armeria Reale (and think that my mom is Piemontese ) so next time that I will go to my uncle I will take a chance to go and see their collections. Thank you

29th May 2007, 03:49 PM	#16
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Thank you Mark, I will go!!

30th May 2007, 12:01 AM	#17
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 473	Thanks for the pics Flavio. Unfortunately no catalog... Luc