I will be away from the gallery from December 23rd to January 3rd, and so will not be shipping orders or open for visitors at the gallery. The Indigo Arts website will be active as always. I will respond to emails as soon as possible. I will be able to ship orders after January 3rd, 2025.
Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Peaceful New Year!

Note:
With the high cost of shipping many of our customers choose to ship by USPS. For small and light shipments this is usually less expensive, but please be aware that their estimates are often wrong and their service can be very slow (sixteen days for Priority Mail from Philadelphia to New York City recently). The service is not always as economical as it may appear, particularly on larger or more valuable shipments. USPS estimates only include insurance up to $100 for its domestic shipments. If you ask for full insurance we will recalculate the shipping cost and send you an invoice for any difference in cost. For overseas shipments USPS will not insure for over $650. On request we can get estimates for overseas shipping from DHL.

Kuba "Ikula" Knife

Kuba "Ikula" Knife
Details: 
Kuba "Ikula" Knife
Kuba "Ikula" Knife
Provenance: 
Jonathan W. Fisher Collection
Read more about this artist: 
Kuba people

Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo, early 20th century.
Iron blade with carved wood handle.
(13” h. x 2 5/8” w. x 2” d.)

Per Wikipedia:
An ikul or ikula is a knife or a short sword of the Kuba of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The ikul consists of a leaf-shaped blade (iron or copper or wood) and a wooden handle finished with a round knob with sometimes decorative inlays. The blade has a well-marked central edge and can be decorated with engravings.  They are ceremonial knives, some of which are made solely of wood (handle and blade) and richly decorated.

The ikul are about 35 centimetres long. According to tradition, King Shyaam aMbul aNgoong would have introduced the ikul in the seventeenth century after a long period of war. The king would then have forbidden the shongo sword to replace it with the ikul, a symbol of peace.

Ex. collection of Jonathan W. Fisher
ex. Indigo Arts Gallery, c.1990.
 

Country: 
Democratic Republic of the Congo
SKU: AFK-2201

$250