Back of wellcome card: "Part of collection of late G. N. Neville Esq. (Weybridge). A member of the punitive expedition who himself removed them after the capture of the city in 1897."
"A FINE GROUP OF NINE FIGURES IN A PROCESSION, representing the chief with eight male and female attendants; the chief clasping the hands of two attendants, and wearing a high-tapered headdress, and sheltered by two shields, upheld by attendants, on square-shaped based with guilloche design and horse and ox heads and human arms in relief"
The entire Foster sale lists “By direction of the Executors of the late G. W. Neville, Esq” and the catalog is called “of the Highly important Bronzes, Ivory and Wood Carvings from the Walled City of Benin, West Africa.” The foreword, “Benin, ‘the City of Blood’” describes the expedition
summary of curatorial notes archival research thus far summer 2021notes
Unclear who exactly carried the looted material away from Benin, and whose collection(s) it was in until 1930 when it was sold at a Mess. Foster auction May 1, 1930, lot number 56. The lot description states, “"A FINE GROUP OF NINE FIGURES IN A PROCESSION, representing the chief with eight male and female attendants; the chief clasping the hands of two attendants, and wearing a high-tapered headdress, and sheltered by two shields, upheld by attendants, on square-shaped based with guilloche design and horse and ox heads and human arms in relief." The entire Foster sale lists “By direction of the Executors of the late G. W. Neville, Esq” and the catalog is called “of the Highly important Bronzes, Ivory and Wood Carvings from the Walled City of Benin, West Africa.” The foreword, “Benin, ‘the City of Blood’” describes the expedition
Back of Wellcome card (“flimsy card”) further explains: "Part of collection of late G. N. Neville Esq. (Weybridge). A member of the punitive expedition who himself removed them after the capture of the city in 1897."
1897, looted from Benin City
1930 (May 1): Sold at a Mess. Foster auction [lot #56], “A fine group of nine figures in a procession…” This specific Foster sale lists “By direction of the Executors of the late G. W. Neville, Esq.”
1965 Gift of the Wellcome Trust to Fowler Museum (then Museum and Laboratories of Ethnic Arts and Technology)