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Lot 24:
Description
This ceremonial prestige axe, commonly referred to as a kilonda, is characteristic of the metalworking traditions of the Songye or Luba peoples of the Central African region. The item features a wide, fan-shaped blade made of hammered sheet brass. The blade is intricately decorated with multiple rows of hand-punched concentric circle motifs, framed by a scalloped and dotted border. The base of the blade is set into a bulbous, spindle-shaped wooden head and is secured by decorative brass rivets with toothed, star-shaped washers. The long, tapered handle is carved from a dense, dark hardwood with a smooth, polished finish, terminating at the pommel end with a simple brass ferrule. A handwritten paper tag is attached to the item with the inscription: 135 yrs old old African Ceremonial Axe. No maker marks or stamps are visible on the metal or wood.
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