Back to: Miscellaneous Antiques
Previous / Next
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store
AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY - The History Gift Store

AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY

$875.00
By the time this war trumpet was made, slaving in Africa was an industry matched only by the ivory trade. Yoweri Museveni, president of Uganda stated in 1998 “African chiefs were the ones waging war on each other and capturing their own people and selling them”. Tribal warfare had evolved, and its sole purpose was the capture of slaves for the market. As in Europe, signaling on the battlefield coordinated and directed the attack. The ivory war trumpet oliphant was the means of signaling. This example is 18 5/8” in length, painstakingly carved from an ivory tusk with an open finial, which provided a two-note tone. The mouthpiece (embouchure) is carved in diamond form with a raised ridged annular band. It had a long career indicated by the dark smoky surface colored many hundreds of houses or campfires. The surface was shaped by scraping, not filing and the mouthpiece rings indicate that about ½” of thickness was laboriously scraped down. Its great use has imbued it with a wonderful mottled patina and great character which belies its sinister past. Virtually among the rarest of surviving accouterments of the slave trade. This a superb example of African Art.
Item ID: B1550
Left Miscellaneous Antiques

Certificate of Authenticity

All items purchased from The History Gift Store are accompanied by a signed and dated Certificate of Authenticity with the name of the item and its unique item number for future reference.

Certificates are suitable for display with your item, and can easily be mounted in a 8½" x 5½" frame. Our certificates are printed on an acid free 65lb cardstock. This means your certification will not turn yellow or deteriorate over time.

AFRICAN SLAVER'S WAR TRUMPET, MID 19th CENTURY

You have questions? We have answers.

We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase, and we will do anything we can to make sure of it.
If you have any questions, please let us know, and we'll be happy to assist you.