Topoke Spear Currency Congo African Art 58 Inch WAS $99. 00

Title Topoke Spear Currency Congo African Art 58 Inch Type of Object Currency Country of Origin Democratic Republic of Congo People Topoke ... Materials Iron Approximate Age Early to mid 20th century Height (in) 58.75 Width (in) 10.5 Overall Condition Poor to fair. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage. Damage/Repair rusted surface, chipped edge, holes, bent in places, top is not connected permanently. Additional Information: Large forged blades such as this in the shape of a spear point were well used into the middle of the 20th century as currency and during marriage ceremonies. They are known under several names: dihunga (for small examples); doa (for larger examples). Other names are: Linganda and Ngbele.  During marriage ceremonies up to 60 doa might be exchanged for the bride. These were specially shaped to look like spear points but were too thin and long to serve as such. These unique currency forms were well worked and were often embellished with a number of parallel lines close to the edges. The surface of this currency shows some age. This may be an early or mid  20th century example. It comes from the Topoke people who live in the Equatorial region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.For more information and similar examples see: Roberto Ballarini, Black Africa's Traditional Arms, Africa Curios, Milano, 1992, figs, 66a-66b, pp. 106-107  **114102** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2021
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Africa Direct, Inc. has been selling on eBay since 1997 and has received more than 56, 000 positive feedbacks. It is owned by Eliza and Sara, who began the company after spending a year wandering southern Africa in a camper van with their multi-racial family. They have been honored with eBay's Hall of Fame award, and by eBay Giving Works, through which they have raised more than $125, 000 in charity auctions. Customer Service: We treasure our many long term customers, and will try to make you one of them! If you have problems, please tell us... we care! Handling Time: We ship daily except Sundays and holidays. Most orders go out the same day, and all go out within 48 hours. Returns: We want you to be happy with your purchase. You're welcome to return an item within 30 days in the same condition you received it--just let us know you're returning it. You may have either a credit or a refund for your purchase price, not including shipping both ways. If your original payment was made through PayPal, we'll refund you through PayPal; if you paid us directly with your credit card, we'll refund the credit card. Combining Shipping: You are welcome to wait to pay, and to combine multiple items for shipping. We ask that you keep each order to 10 days or 10 items, whichever comes first--then start another order. When you're ready, just send us a list of item numbers or an invoice request and we'll send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal or credit card. U.S. Shipping: Our staff take great care in packing our artwork, much of which is antique, irregularly-shaped, and fragile. The cost of labor and the special packing materials used is reflected in our shipping price. Our U.S. shipping charges also include insurance; we self-insure on smaller orders. For these reasons, our shipping and handling charges may be more than the price of postage. . International Shipping: We ship dozens of international orders each week, to customers on every continent except Antarctica! The shipping charges included in our listings are for U.S. orders. Contact us for shipping charges to your country. We offer uninsured USPS First Class airmail, insured Priority airmail, and insured Express airmail to most parts of the world, depending on the weight, volume, and value of an item. We also ship via FedEx or DHL on request. Import duties, taxes, and charges are NOT INCLUDED in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding / buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up -- do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. And please do not ask us to mark merchandise values below the actual value or mark items as "gifts"--U.S. and International government regulations prohibit such behavior. Newsletter, previews and special offers: Sign up for our newsletterGo to Africa Direct Store

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