Price on application
This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance
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A Rare and Important Africa Initiation Axe / Club.
Rhinoceros horn, iron.
Probably Lozi / South Africa.
19th Century.
PROVENANCE:
Ex K. Gormley, England.
Ex Private collection.
CF:
For a Rhinoceros Horn Ceremonial Prestige Axe, see Finch & Co, catalogue no. 7, item no. 94.
Axes such as this fashioned from blond horn were not commonly used as weapons. They were insignia of military rank and as such were carried resting on the shoulder into the battlefield by chiefs and command.
Axes and knives were preserved as heirlooms among the peoples of Southern Africa and transmitted through generations to the next as important indicators of status. They also preserved and carried an aura of ancestral symbolism. The owner of this rare axe would have been a high ranking chief, and possibly ownership came through his prowess as a ‘hunter’. The more typical axes would have been fashioned in wood.
Dimensions
65.5cm long - 25¾ ins longThe BADA Standard
- Since 1918, BADA has been the leading association for the antiques and fine art trade
- Members are elected for their knowledge, integrity and quality of stock
- Our clients are protected by BADA’s code of conduct
- Our dealers’ membership is reviewed and renewed annually
- Bada.org is a non-profit site: clients deal directly with members and they pay no hidden fees
