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AFRICAN BLACKSMITH’S TOOLS AND RARE IRON “BLOOM” FROM ANCIENT FORGE. Many of the traditional tools used by African blacksmiths were made by the blacksmiths themselves and passed on from one generation to the next. Smithing was often a hereditary occupation, with sons serving as apprentices to their fathers. Consequently, the tools of the trade were highly prized by the family and would only be sold with the concurrence of the male members of the family. Proceeds of such a sale were then divided among the male family members or used to purchase new tools. (A) Adze. Baga people, Guinea. Used to carve wood, as handles for hoes. Fine patina on handle. Wood, hand forged iron. H 11.5in. (B) Awls (2) Mandingo people, Guinea. Used to burn holes in wood or thin sheets of metal. Each on custom base. Shaft of B1 hand forged iron. Handle reinforced with wire. Wood, wire, iron. H 9in. Shaft of B2 forged from rebar. Handle partly charred. Wood, iron. H 12.5in. (C) Tongs for holding heated iron (2). C1 hand forged and made by blacksmith. On custom base. Iron. H 8.5in. C2 with spatula jaws. Hand forged by blacksmith. Iron, pigment. H 8in. (D) Pliers. Dogon people, Mali. Used to grip heated iron. H 8in. (E) Soldering iron. Senufo people, Ivory Coast. Wood, iron. H 11.5in. (F) Anvil. GoGo people, Tanzania. The spiked end was stuck in the ground. Interesting shape with shoulders. On custom base. Hand forged iron. H 13in. (G) Anvil. Matakam people, Cameroon. Hand forged iron with oxidation. On custom base. H 10in. (H) Anvil/punch. Tanzania. Note decorative rings on shaft. Hand forged iron. On custom base. H 13.5in. (I) Hammer with white pigment on head. Wood handle with fine patina. Baga people, Guinea. Head 9lb. Wood, iron. H 14in. (J) Hammer head (11lb). Mandingo people, Guinea. Also used as an anvil. On custom base. H 5in. (K) Iron “bloom” from an ancient smelting forge. Excavated near Kumbija Kaabaakoun village, Gambia. Estimated to date from the 1700s or earlier. This find is extremely rare because most excavations of ancient iron forges uncover only slag. For some unknown reason, the “bloom” was left at this site. This is the form that iron took after the ore was smelted in the forge and extracted from the furnace as the “bloom”. The furnace was considered to be a womb and the smelting process the gestation period. Thus, extracting the “bloom” was giving birth to the iron. The next step was to separate the slag consisting of remnants of the ore from the “bloom”. This “bloom” measures 8.5in in greatest diameter and weighs 4.5lb. See picture showing blacksmith hammering a “bloom” to loosen the slag.
