THE ACCURATERELOADING.COM AFRICAN HUNTING FORUM


Moderators: Saeed
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Any African spear experts ?
 Login/Join
 
One of Us
posted
Picked up a lot of 5 antique spears mostly from Congo was wondering if there were and experts/references to further identify them. Online I find some info quite fascinating want to learn more. Arriving today I can provide pics


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
No expert but I know something about African spears.
Mostly two types Functional and then "currency spears"

Many of the spears one sees for sale in African curio stores in the USA ( example the store in La Jolla) are in fact from central and West Afica and many are actually currency spears. The Kasai province in the DRC a popular source for Kuba cloth, chairs ,tables and off course Kuba currency spears these are quite commonly encountered in curio stores

Some spears are distinct in shape by tribe like the spears of the Samburu and Maasai whilst others are generic, some like the fishing spears of the Lozi ( descendants of the Luba Kingdom ) share a common theme.

Over the years I have managed to collect a small collection of spears from parts of Southern and central Africa including knives and wrist knives from the Turkana.

There was a guy in Hoedspruit South Africa who owned a curio store Monsoon Gallery and he had what must be one of the most complete and extensive collections of spears and bows and arrows from various parts of Africa. I sometimes wonder what happened to his collection ....

There is a book African Arms and armour that deals with examples of spears shields and armour found in Africa, many of the examples now found in museums
 
Posts: 7857 | Registered: 16 August 2000Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
quote:
There was a guy in Hoedspruit South Africa who owned a curio store Monsoon Gallery and he had what must be one of the most complete and extensive collections of spears and bows and arrows from various parts of Africa. I sometimes wonder what happened to his collection ....


I believe the guy you are talking about is still there and going strong. Englishman, older, white hair?

I visited with him for over an hour last year admiring his collection, the man was a wealth of knowledge and very pleasant to visit with.

.
 
Posts: 42463 | Location: Crosby and Barksdale, Texas | Registered: 18 September 2006Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
John and Calli Williams of Hoedspruit.
I think he now lives somewhere in the Cape
 
Posts: 7857 | Registered: 16 August 2000Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Ok good info thanks yes some are currency spears I think. Kuba possibly. Most are quite old .a samburru one s well and some others . Looking forward to learning more and getting some sheildsto match
quote:
Originally posted by ALF:
No expert but I know something about African spears.
Mostly two types Functional and then "currency spears"

Many of the spears one sees for sale in African curio stores in the USA ( example the store in La Jolla) are in fact from central and West Afica and many are actually currency spears. The Kasai province in the DRC a popular source for Kuba cloth, chairs ,tables and off course Kuba currency spears these are quite commonly encountered in curio stores

Some spears are distinct in shape by tribe like the spears of the Samburu and Maasai whilst others are generic, some like the fishing spears of the Lozi ( descendants of the Luba Kingdom ) share a common theme.

Over the years I have managed to collect a small collection of spears from parts of Southern and central Africa including knives and wrist knives from the Turkana.

There was a guy in Hoedspruit South Africa who owned a curio store Monsoon Gallery and he had what must be one of the most complete and extensive collections of spears and bows and arrows from various parts of Africa. I sometimes wonder what happened to his collection ....

There is a book African Arms and armour that deals with examples of spears shields and armour found in Africa, many of the examples now found in museums


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
Picture of MJines
posted Hide Post
Jim with African Sporting Creations might be a resource.

African Sporting Creations


Mike
 
Posts: 21874 | Registered: 03 January 2006Reply With Quote
One of Us
Picture of BaxterB
posted Hide Post
Very cool Spears. Has anyone ever seen a Maasai forge? I’d love to see what tools they used to process the steel and make the blades.
 
Posts: 7828 | Registered: 31 January 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Yes I looked at their spears and the internet search spears arriving today for closer examination. Got a pretty smoking deal on the 5 as apparently according to source Africana sales are in the decline


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Not sure what spear collecting has got to do with African Big Game Hunting.

Shouldn't this interesting conversation fall into the "Other Topics" forum and its "Miscellaneous Topics" section? ..... just wondering coffee
 
Posts: 2081 | Registered: 06 September 2008Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
quote:
Not sure what spear collecting has got to do with African Big Game Hunting.


Absolutely everything !
The heading of the forum is African HUNTING and not African SHOOTING!

Hunting comprises a total experience ! It encompasses an awareness of the whole experience related to the activity of the pursuit of hunt-able animals in a specific geographic area.

As such the hunt often referred to as the SAFARI is a total experience which encompasses interaction of the hunter with not only the animals hunted but other people ,indigenous and other, their cultures and their environment.

Some collect trophies and memorabilia related to this experience. Which may include curios etc.

An example of this Jim Shockey's newly opened private museum which showcases a huge collection of not only trophies but various curios and artefacts collected whilst hunting all over the world. He has for instance a collection of primitive stone / flint arrow heads collected whilst hunting in the USA.
 
Posts: 7857 | Registered: 16 August 2000Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
I looked for a section but didn’t see any end thought it was appropriate here. I agree trophies are more than just animals


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
It' appropriate. Hell, Capstick stuck a cape buff with one...or so he wrote.
 
Posts: 2753 | Registered: 10 March 2006Reply With Quote
One of Us
Picture of McKay
posted Hide Post
I like em. Bought a few from the Maasai when I hunted there a decade ago. After seeing Jines link I wish I would have bought a crate of them and sent them home. Eeker


Mac

 
Posts: 1747 | Location: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: 01 February 2007Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Africans have been hunting with spears for eons Big Grin


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Anyone know good tips for hanging or displaying them? Brackets wall mounts etc?


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by gunslinger55:
Africans have been hunting with spears for eons Big Grin


Most have since upgraded through stages: from home-made muzzle loaders to AK-47s and scoped rifles. Wink

The Maasai have long since stopped spearing cattle-raiding lions and upgraded to more efficient means of eradication of this "pest" through deployment of poisons.

Spears therefore are in today's world viewed more as cultural memorabilia than what they were originally intended for. coffee
 
Posts: 2081 | Registered: 06 September 2008Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post


Masai ( young Moran spear) / Samburu with Ostrich feather pom pom / Kuba currency spear(DRC)
 
Posts: 7857 | Registered: 16 August 2000Reply With Quote
one of us
posted Hide Post
I can ususally tell if they are old or tourist speers..I have a number of old spears and some tourist speers also, I have a very aged bow and quiver, and the arrow points still have poison on them apparently still active after all those years..I sealed the quiver that has a top with tape and have a warning on it...

The touist speers are pretty easy to identigy as they are crude, the old stuff is class..Im no expert but can identify old from new I think.
Not mush information out there and hard to learn anything specific...

There are a number of people in Africa that can identify a spear to the proper tribe with a picture of presented to them. I can do that to some extent most of the time.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42228 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
One of Us
posted Hide Post
Cool thanks. Yeah upright in a holder is the way to go. I have one of the Kuba currency spears and several others I’m identifying most Congo and one samburu throwing spear. I’ll post pics if I can figure out how


White Mountains Arizona
 
Posts: 2861 | Registered: 31 December 2005Reply With Quote
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


Copyright December 1997-2023 Accuratereloading.com


Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia

Since January 8 1998 you are visitor #: