Pair of Early Kilonda Songye Axes with Important

Songye people from the D.R Congo use this axe as a symbol of prestige and importance of the people carrying them. The Songye are known as masters of iron forging and indeed the Kilonda axes are masterpieces of forging.  A lunar shaped blade is connected to a net of iron rods, folded twisted and weaved to shape the axe head. A single or several human faces shaped in iron are forge welded to the iron rods.

The almost identical pair of axes offered are very early. May be late 19 C. (See the provenance below). Head made of thick iron rods, incised blades and a single human face. Wood haft entirely covered with copper sheet and bound with copper strips.  

8 ½ inches (23 cm) wide blades. ½ inch (13 mm) thick rods of the head frame. Weight 1140 Grams each. Very good condition. Original untouched old patina on the heads and on the shafts. Early and rare authentic axes.

Provenance: From the collection of General Nicolas Changarnier (1793 – 1877), a French army general member of the Legion of Honor and for several years served in Algier.