1884.24.18.1

Collection type

Object

Description

Two-edged sword or knife [.1] with straight-edged expanding blade and hollow angled top, wooden handle with four ridges, bound with brass wire. With wooden sheath [.2] shaped like a flat box, covered with hide. [El.B 07/11/2007]

Geographical reference

Gabon

Africa > Central Africa > Gabon

Unknown

Cultural groups

Fang

Person

Maker Unknown Maker

Field collector Robert Bruce Napoleon Walker

PRM source Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers founding collection

Date / Period

Date made: Possibly before 1875

Date collected

By 1875 Dec 14

Acquisition information

Donated: 1884

Materials and processes

Material Metal, Material Wood Plant, Material Animal Hide Skin, Material Brass Metal, Process Carved, Process Forged (Metal), Process Stitched, Process Bound

Dimensions

Length: max 440 mm, Length: max 265 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1884.24.18.1 Accession number: 1884.24.18.2 PR Cat other PR nos: 892 PR no.: 1099

Research and responses

Providing the match of this object to the description in Collectors Miscellaneous is correct this is a RBN Walker object. Page 121 of Accession Book IV suggests that objects dated 14.12.75 are part of the RBN Walker collection ['Additional Accession Book IV entry - Those objects dated 14.12.75 = RBN Walker coll - v seq Magic No 3327 and others Africa and top page 147'. The date and location of the provenance of this object does seem to confirm that this might be a RBN Walker object. This is possibly the sword referred to in JAS, 1867: cl et seq as object 45 Sword of the BaFanh. NB There seems to be some discrepancy between the entries in the PRM Accession books IV and Collectors Miscellaneous XI. The description on XI 261 fits this object but also mentions a sheath. It does not fit 1884.24.19 [the number it was originally assigned to which does have a sheath], and in any case that object has a further Collectors Miscellaneous entry matched to it. One of the numbers in the description in this particular Collectors Miscellaneous entry matches 1884.24.19 and the other 1884.24.20 [which also has another Collectors Miscellaneous entry matched to it]! As both possible matches to the numbers mentioned in the entry have matches of their own, and this object which matches the description given in the entry does not, I think it must match. . In 'Primitive Warfare' [lecture given to Royal United Services Institution there is mention of a Fan war axe, used as Plate 1 fig 5 'Sword of native manufacture, minus the wooden handle, and War Axe both constructed by the Fans of the Gaboon country, West Africa. From Col. Lane Fox's collection. A nearly similar axe is the collection of the Royal United Services Institution. The patterns of ornamentation are taken, partly from the Fan War Axe and partly from some knives of iron brought from Central Africa by Mr. Petherick and now in Col. Lane Fox's collection'. [p31] [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]'... while the Institute has a most valuable collection of skulls and skeletons, it has on the other hand never succeeded in collecting an ethnographical museum of any educational value. A few articles, not unfamiliar to the visitors of any large ethnographical museum, such as weapons, dresses, models &c., have been presented to the Society at various times, but while they have occupied much wall space in the rooms of the Institute, and thus cramped the library, they are neither sufficient in number nor capable of arrangement in any order complete enough to serve the purpose intended. Upon a careful review of the whole of the circumstances, therefore, the Council have resolved that it would be the wisest course for the Institute to devote all spare funds to the enlargement of the Library, and to maintain the collection of skulls and skeletons, but to give up the attempt, which they are convinced would be a hopeless one, to establish any sufficiently large and comprehensive ethnographical museum. Their view was confirmed by the independent professional opinion of a valuer nominated by an eminent firm, who estimated the value of all the ethnographical specimens referred to at only £45. ... The Council resolved, therefore, subject to the approval of this meeting, to accept two offers, amounting together to £54, or £9 more than the valuer's estimate, viz: one of £14 from Mr Franks, curator of the Christy Collection, for the Burmese gong, and one of £40 from Major-General Pitt Rivers for the other objects, with the view of their being ultimately deposited at South Kensington. ...' [Report of the Council of the Anthropological Institute ...' [JAI, vol 10 (1881) 438-9] [AP 6/12/2005]

Search terms: Weapon, Sword, Knife, Sheath