Small Mangbetu Sape — The Mansfield Collection

Mangbetu Sape

Mangbetu Sape
Mangbetu, Azande, Abarambo, or neighboring tribes
Uélé District, Congo Free State - Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Early 20th century (ca. 1900 - 1930)
Steel, elephant ivory
Blade: 12,1cm
Hilt & Blade: 18,4cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 271
Deaccessioned: 2026

Ex. American Art Market (2022)

A fine small example of the Mangbetu sape knife. The Mangbetu are renowned for their fine craftsmanship, carving of knives, musical instruments, horns, hairpins, pipes, and other crafts such as pottery and sculpture. Pieces such as this were created to demonstrate wealth and status along with being used for general work or self- defense.

The double-edged iron blade is leaf shaped with a slightly raised center plane. The hilt carved from elephant ivory, flared at the top, with a turned central grip that rounds up to the pommel. A fine small knife demonstrating traditional Mangbetu craftsmanship.

Photograph 12: Ayana, an Abarambo woman. Notice the small sape she is wearing around the neck. Photographed by Herbert Lang in Poko, August 1913.

[1] Fischer, Werner. Zirngibl, Manfred. African Weapons, Page 63, Cat. 91

[2] https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/410787

[3] https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/10533

[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1954-23-1560

[5] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1934-0308-4

[6] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1934-0308-1-a-b

[7] https://oriental-arms.com/index.php?id_product=858&rewrite=very-good-sape-mangbetu-dagger&controller=product (For Sale $425)

[8] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5850

[9] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6091

[10] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6477

[11] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6109