Old Kuba Prestige Knife – Ikula – Copper Blade – DR Congo

Early to mid 20th century. Copper, wood. Cm. 43,8 high (17.24″); weight: grams 246,9 (8.71 oz.).

A knife of the Kuba (Ikula) with a hand beaten copper blade. The wooden handle is exquisitely decorated by inlaying thousands of wire bits into the wood and has a nice patina from tribal use.

These knives were reserved for nobles and used for important ceremonial occasions

Kuba, also called Bakuba, a cluster of about 16 Bantu-speaking groups in southeastern Congo (Kinshasa), living between the Kasai and Sankuru rivers east of their confluence.

Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.

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