Arm Dagger
Arm Dagger
Azande / Bandia / Kreish / Sere / Bongo or surrounding neighbors
Azande Kingdom - Dār Fertit - Bahr el Ghazail, Mahdist Sudan - Anglo Egyptian Sudan (South Darfur - Western Equatoria - Western Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1910)
Steel, elephant ivory, silver wire, metal alloy, leather, monitor skin
Blade: 15,9cm
Hilt & Blade: 25,7cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 27,9cm
Collection Date: 2026
Collection Number: 507
Ex Rick Stroud (RSWORD): Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (2026)
A fine Sudanese arm dagger from the Azande People of the historic Dār Fertit and Bahr el Ghazail regions of South Sudan. The straight steel blade is double- edged with a flat surface. The hilt is carved entirely from elephant ivory in an hour glass form. A chip is present on the rear side of the handle. The central grip is wrapped in silver wire with the center portion braided together. A metal alloy pommel cap is present at the end.
The leather sheath is embossed with designs on one side, and having a monitor skin mouth at the top. Attached with a leather plaited arm loop. A fine, well- made example in good condition, exhibiting a beautiful contrasting yellowish hue to the ivory patina with the silver wire and red embossed leather.
[1] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1898-230
[2] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1898-217-a
[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1908-193-a
[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1978-22-637
[5] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-2679-a
[6] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5538