Zemanek-Münster
Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915, Namibia, Ovambo, Size: H: 21,5 cm B: 18,3 cm (H: 8.5 inch B: 7.2 inch), ID: 3047111
Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915, Namibia, Ovambo, Size: H: 21,5 cm B: 18,3 cm (H: 8.5 inch B: 7.2 inch), ID: 3047111 - 2/5 Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915, Namibia, Ovambo, Size: H: 21,5 cm B: 18,3 cm (H: 8.5 inch B: 7.2 inch), ID: 3047111 - 3/5 Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915, Namibia, Ovambo, Size: H: 21,5 cm B: 18,3 cm (H: 8.5 inch B: 7.2 inch), ID: 3047111 - 4/5 Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915, Namibia, Ovambo, Size: H: 21,5 cm B: 18,3 cm (H: 8.5 inch B: 7.2 inch), ID: 3047111 - 5/5
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Lot 332
95th Tribal Art Auction

Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915 ·  Namibia, Ovambo · ID: 3047111

sold EUR 3,500
Provenance
Old German Colonial Collection
German Collection, Hamburg
Size
H: 21,5 cm
B: 18,3 cm
H: 8.5 inch
B: 7.2 inch

Description

wood, copper sheet and wire, steel,
Already in 1910 Buschan reported in “Illustrierte Völkerkunde” (Illustrated Ethnology) (1910) about these extremely bizarre dagger sheaths. Such a stylization has already ceased to be useful and can only be compared with some “European fashion foolishness”.

According to Tönjes (1911), Chiefs (of the Ondonga tribe) conferred these prominent daggers on sentries as a special honor. They were worn on leather belts around the hips.

The object Rare small dagger with scabbard, before 1915 with the object ID 3047111 was last part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction at October 24, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 332 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,500.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.

Comparing literature

Szalay, Miklós, Die ethnographische Südwestafrika-Sammlung Hans Schinz 1884-1886, Zürich 1979, p. 114 f

Africa

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