Royal sword "ilwoon" or "ilondo" in raffia sheath ·  D. R. Congo, Kuba-Bushoong · ID: 3045902

Description

steel, wood, handle with richly punched copper sheet cladding (small missing part), raffia sheath with velvet embroidery (“Kasai plush”)

The blade is inserted into the handle with resin-like putty. Cowry snails are pressed into the mass and an animal claw is inserted on each side.

Originally these swords were used as a weapon of war. However, after the colonial system stopped the fights between the tribes, this classic type of sword knife was converted and used as a status weapon and dance utensil.

The object Royal sword “ilwoon” or “ilondo” in raffia sheath with the object ID 3045902 was part of the auction 93rd Tribal Art Auction on November 16, 2019. The object with the lot number 372 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,600 with an asking price of EUR 300.

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Comparing literature

Zirngibl, Manfred A. & Alexander Kubetz, Panga na visu, Riedlhütte 2009, p. 209, ill. 501