Currency African Copper Anklet Embole (Mbole) Currency. C1940

Description

Manilla is the Congolese word for money and these Items for, trade or currency, were frequently worn around the ankles of Congolese men and women, from small strings of beads or shells to this large size of bracelet.
Originating before the colonial period, perhaps as the result of trade with the Portuguese Empire, Manillas continued to serve as money and decorative objects until the late 1940s.
Heavy, (4 lbs 11 oz) and usually made out of hand forged copper, this kind of piece was reserved for major transactions such as the purchase of cattle or a dowry for a bride.
This item is in particularly good condition and dates back about the 1940's, before the mechanized production of copper, which is a metal found in great quantity in the Congo.  It does have a crack, see photos, which is frequently deliberate in order to fit an ankle.
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