1: A prestige knife of the Pende people, in western Congo. With a very beautiful hilt made of ivory, with two all-round bands, each decorated with three zig-zag lines and finished with a hemispherical finial. The visibly old ivory has already darkened to a yellow-brown. Wrapped below the hilt with a strip of wickerwork plant fibres. The double-edged blade displays the typical form of the West Pende. L: 42 cm.
2: A large prestige knife of the Kutu, Saka, Ngandu or Kusu, in central Congo. The typical wooden hilt is cloaked in copper and iron bands, the double-edged blade is forged in delineated surfaces. Minor age-related damage on the hilt and blade. L: 53 cm.
3: A ceremonial and prestige knife of the Kuba (or Bakuba), in central Congo. The characteristic blade, curved on both sides, with a medial ridge and line decoration on the sides, made of copper. The black-dyed, shiny wooden hilt in a typical shape displays a small, old original repair. L: 36 cm.
4: A shortsword from the Cameroon Grassfields. From the Tikar, Bamum or Bamileke. The length of old iron blade (with traces of rust) is fluted and the medial ridge displays remnants of fine decorative engraving. The robust wooden hilt terminates in a round finial with a cavity above. The hilt is geometrically carved in two strips, wrapped with thin copper wire and decorated with brass nails. L: 50.5 cm.
All four objects: First third of the 20th century. (ME) ASA

This lot of three Kongo-knives and one sword from Cameroon constists only of THREE objects (instead of four, as written in the catalog). The third Kongo-knife – the one from the Kuba, with the blade made of copper – appears only by error on this photograph! It belongs to another owner. The estimate-prices of the remaining three objects are still the same (€ 5.000 – 5.600). Even so the starting-price.