Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1930

Date Range To

1940

Materials

STEEL, BAKELITE, LEATHER.

No. Pieces

2

Height

2.5

Length

64

Width

6.2

Description

1. MACHETE: 14CM LONG BLACK BAKELITE HANDLE WITH 50CM LONG CURVED BLADE. HANDLE IS FORMED BY TWO HALVES OF BAKELITE RIVETED TO BLADE SHANK. HANDLE HAS FOUR RIVETS HOLDING IT TOGETHER. BLADE IS CURVED LIKE A SABE BLADE WITH ROUGH EDGE THAT HAS BEEN SHARPENED ON A GRINDER. ON ONE SIDE OF BLADE, NEAR HANDLE, IS BLACK PAPER LABEL WITH WHITE WRITING THAT IS PORTUGUESE OR SPANISH WITH SKETCH OF WARRIOR WEARING BIRD HEADDRESS. PART OF LABEL HAS BEEN TORN AWAY. WHAT CAN BE READ AND TRANSLATED READS "LOOK FOR THE BRAND", "CONQUEROR" "WHICH GUARANTEES AN ARTICLE OF THE FIRST QUALITY", "THE GENUINE LABELS HAVE THE LETTERS" AND "REGISTERED TRADEMARK". ON REVERSE OF BLADE IS WORN LOGO ETCHED INTO BLADE. HAS WARRIOR WITH HEADDRESS AND THE WORD "VENCEDOR" WITH "NO. 127" UNDERNEATH. BLADE IS SLIGHTLY TARNISHED. 2. SHEATH: RED LEATHER SHEATH IS 64.5CM (L) X 10.5CM (W) WITH COLORFUL TASSELS AND FLOWER AND LEAF PATTERN WORKED INTO LEATHER. TOP END IS FOLDED OVER AND STITCHED INTO LOOP WHICH CAN HANG ON BELT. LOOP IS STITCHED TO BACK OF SHEATH WHICH IS SINGLE PIECE OF MOLDED LEATHER FOLED AND STITCHED AT BACK. FASTENED TO FRONT WITH STEEL RIVETS ARE TWO DECORATIVE PIECES, ONE VERTICAL PIECE WITH POINTED ENDS AND A BROADER HORIZONTAL PIECE OVER TOP. AT RIVET POINTS ON SIDE ARE GREY LEATHER TASSELS. THREE MORE WOVEN TASSELS ARE LOOPED THROUGH HOLES IN DECORATIVE PIECES. ONE RED AND WHITE WITH GREEN FRINGE, ONE BROWN AND WHITE WITH RED FRINGE AND ONE GREEN AND WHITE WITH GREEN FRINGE. THE RED AND GREEN WOVEN TASSELS HAVE CIRCULAR STEEL BUCKLE. AT POINT OF SHEATH IS RED, GREEN AND WHITE WOVEN LEATHER WRAP WITH BLACK FRINGE. ALL LEATHER HAS LEAF AND FLOWER SCROLL WORK ROUTERED FROM FINISH.

Subjects

AGRICULTURAL T&E

Historical Association

AGRICULTURE

History

ARTIFACT BELONGED TO DONOR'S BROTHER, HAROLD ELVES, WHO WHILE EMPLOYED BY THE BRITTISH RHODESIAN CO. WAS SENT TO AFRICA IN 1930 TO WORK WITH NATIVES. HE SPENT THREE YEARS IN AFRICA AND IT IS THOUGHT ARTIFACTS WERE ACQUIRED THERE. RETIRED IN LETHBRIDGE. FOR MORE HISTORY ON MR. ELVES SEE PERMANENT RECORD.

Catalogue Number

P19950027001

Acquisition Date

1995-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail