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Comment by Michael Squier on December 10, 2016 at 20:29

DLKG, thanks for the info, and thank your wife. Very helpful. 

Featured Comment by dead_left_knife_guy on December 9, 2016 at 19:11

Not a problem!  I just happened to luck out because she walked by when I was looking at this post.

The oiled patina around the ax head she thought looked especially nice, & the blade was more artful than pure utilitarian, though taken from a utilitarian design.

I should also mention for Michael that she thought this particular ax might be worth have professionally appraised.  She saw a lot of tourist art in her time, and she had to tell a lot of prospective donors that their collections were largely worthless, at least from a collectors & museum perspective.  So she does not suggest a professional appraisal lightly.

I know from being with her for most of those years that African art tends not to have the monetary draw that Western art does, so don't get too excited about potential dollar values.  But it might be worth having appraised if you were considering selling it at any point, or if you simply would like to get it insured (so as not to under- nor over-insure it).

Comment by Jan Carter on December 9, 2016 at 18:56

DLKG,

That is a wealth of knowledge!  Thank you for having her take a look and sharing the info.

Featured Comment by dead_left_knife_guy on December 9, 2016 at 18:47

According to my wife, that African axe is along the lines of a weapon, but it is ceremonial.  There is too much detail on the blade & too nice of a patina to be anything other than ceremonial in nature.  So, she said, it would be held as a scepter would be held, to show that the wielder has power.  As far as geographic origin, she believed it would come from anywhere along the Ivory Coast to the Democratic Republic of Congo, or possibly south of there.  

By the way, my wife worked as a curator for a dozen years, and she specialized in African, Oceanic, & Native American art objects.  She did not spend a great deal of time looking at this axe (30 seconds to a minute), so she did not have a great deal of information to go on, but that's what she came up with in her quick assessment.

Featured Comment by Charles Sample on December 8, 2016 at 23:00

Very nice!

Comment by Michael Squier on December 8, 2016 at 15:15

D ale, yes, that is the end of the tang. Its a very light axe, i dont know what the wood is but it must have been strong when new, whenever that was. 

In Memoriam Comment by D ale on December 8, 2016 at 11:40

Re: the working face.

.

appears effective .. a "skinner" like curvature .. edged with serrated teeth

that could leave a nasty wound

debilitating if properly placed

.

!! . OUCH . !!

Comment by Jan Carter on December 8, 2016 at 11:39

The made for something other than camping also strikes me as a weapon.  The Eastwing is fantastic, so glad it ended up at your place 

In Memoriam Comment by D ale on December 8, 2016 at 11:30

Michael

Is that the other end of the axe head .. forming a "tapered tang" construction ??

.

Thanks

D ale

Comment by Michael Squier on December 8, 2016 at 8:27

D ale, im not sure but I think its a weapon. 

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