251 - Set of three bladed weapons. Central and West Africa, late 19th–early 20th century

Set of three bladed weapons. Central and West Africa, late 19th–early 20th century Iron, wood, leather, plant fibers, and copper alloys. Two of the blades retain their sheaths. They show signs of wear, patina, and rust consistent with their use and age. Measurements: The longest measures 36 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. A set of African bladed weapons that brings together types associated with both Central and West Africa. The first piece features an elongated, pointed blade and an elaborate carved wooden hilt, topped by two zoomorphic heads facing each other. This preference for figurative hilts finds parallels among ceremonial weapons produced in the area of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly within Songye traditions and culturally related groups. The central piece stands out for its broad blade with an almost spatula-like profile and its fiber-wrapped hilt. Weapons of this type could transcend their practical function and serve as symbols of prestige or rank; the National Museum of African Art documents numerous variants from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Congo region, including Poto and Ngombe swords characterized by the sculptural treatment and openwork of their blades. Smithsonian Institution The third piece, accompanied by a decorated metal sheath, bears similarities to daggers from the Adamawa region, between Cameroon and Nigeria.