Ethnic Design-Bridal Iron Hoe Currency, Afo Peoples Nigeria
Located in Leuven , BE
Used as forms of currency, they could also serve as a musical or ritual object. Displayed on a custom mount.
Iron
Ethnic design - Iron Bell Currency, Dowayo People, Cameroon
Located in Leuven , BE
Used as forms of currency, they could also serve as a musical or ritual object. Displayed on a custom mount.
Iron
Bamileke People, Cameroon, Forged Knife with Carved Wooden Head
Located in Leuven , BE
Solid forged Bamileke short sword with a finely carved face on the top of the handle. Patina of use
Metal
Woven Parrying Shield, Batammaliba culture, Republic of Benin.
Located in Leuven , BE
This type of shield was used to deflect the strike of sticks or whips in ritual staged fights.Beautifully made from hide and natural fibers with a textural and timeless modern form. ...
Organic Material
Ethnic Design-Ceremonial Double Gong with Beaded Handle;
Located in Leuven , BE
This Double Gong bell originating from the Bamileke communities in Cameroon is a functional instrument played with wooden sticks.
Iron
Ethnic Design-Yombe Chief Staff "Mwaala", Kongo Art, Yann Ferrandin, Paris 2009.
Located in Leuven , BE
A Wooden Yombe Mwaala Chief Staff, with three globular elements. The Finial is a finely carved female figure kneeling, the hands resting on the knees and with raised scarification ma...
Hardwood
Afo Bridal-Currency from Nigeria
Located in Stamford, CT
The Afo Bridal Currency was used in Nigeria until the early 1940s. This is also known as a "Chenkrom." Now mounted on a bronze stand.
Iron
Mambila / Chamba Hoe African Currency — North Eastern Nigeria & Cameroon
Located in New York, NY
A sculptural iron form once used as currency among the Mambila and Chamba peoples of northeastern Nigeria and the Cameroon highlands, this forged hoe-shaped object embodies the inter...
Metal, Iron
Large Curved Hoe Currency, Angas, Nigeria
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Extra Large Curved Hoe Currency Angas, Nigeria Early 20th century Iron 25.25 x 17.5 in. / 64 x 44 cm Height on custom display stand: 29.75 in. / 76 cm Weight: 12.8 pounds / 5.8 kg Combined weight with base: 20.6 pounds / 9.3 kg The large currency forms are comprised of a heavy sheet of iron forged into the shape of a curved hoe. They were customary gifts for a bride’s father as well as having a function during wedding celebrations (Ballarini, The Perfect Form...
Iron
Hoe-Shaped Iron Currency "Mbili Ngbaka, " Ngbaka, D.R. Congo
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Hoe-Shaped Currency "Mbili Ngbaka," Ngbaka, D.R. Congo 20th century Iron, accumulation 16 x 7 in. / 41 x 18 cm Height on custom display stand: 18.25 in. / 46 cm This interesting type of iron currency was used for major transactions such as dowry payments. The two wings added to the lower tips of the hoe underline the non-utilitarian character of this type of currency (Ballarini, "The Perfect Form...
Iron
Extra Large Curved Hoe Currency, Angas, Nigeria
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Extra Large Curved Hoe currency Angas, Nigeria Early 20th century Iron Measures: 29.5 x 20.5 in. / 75 x 52 cm Height on custom display stand: 33.25 in. / 84 cm Weight: 20.6 pounds / 9.34 kg Combined weight with base: 43.8 pounds / 19.9 kg The large currency forms are comprised of a heavy sheet of iron forged into the shape of a curved hoe. They were customary gifts for a bride’s father as well as having a function during wedding celebrations (Ballarini, The Perfect Form...
Iron
Igbo Iron Currency Knife Sculpture on Custom Platform, Nigeria, 1890-1920s
Located in New York, NY
A striking example of West African material culture, this Igbo iron currency knife from Nigeria embodies the intersection of economy, artistry, and ritual within traditional African societies. Before the widespread adoption of coinage and paper money, many regions across Africa used forms of metal currency—objects whose intrinsic material value, craftsmanship, and symbolic form made them widely accepted as units of exchange. Among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, iron currency objects such as knives, rods, and bracelets circulated not only as mediums of trade but also as markers of wealth, social status, and ceremonial exchange. This particular form—often referred to as a currency knife—features an elegantly curved profile with a tapering blade-like extension and finely incised surface decoration. Forged and hand-carved from iron, the piece demonstrates the remarkable skill of traditional blacksmiths, whose work held both practical and spiritual significance in Igbo culture. The etched geometric motifs along the surface speak to a visual language of craftsmanship passed through generations, transforming what was once a utilitarian object into a sculptural artifact rich with cultural meaning. Mounted on a custom-made platform for display, the piece now reads as a refined sculptural object. Its weathered iron patina, subtle textural variations, and dynamic crescent silhouette give it a commanding presence—equally compelling as a collectible ethnographic artifact or as a distinctive decorative accent in a contemporary interior. Today, objects like this Igbo currency...
Metal, Iron
