A carved panel cut from a single plank of soft brown wood. One face is carved in Benin style with a seated king receiving a severed head. Attendants at the left of the picture, 2 drummers on the right. Below is carved:
OKPAME -- GOODCARVR
Object Name/Object Name: (Classification)object type
Salford Museum Benin Collection Correspondence Transcripts
Salford Museum
Carvings - 1903’ 247-248
Bedwell Farm,
Stevenage,
Herts
14.IX.03
Dear Sir,
I [beg] to enclose two illustrations showing ethnological specimens of acrved wood, from Benin City, West Africa, taken at the fall of the City in February 1897 by the British Punitive Expedition under the command of Admiral Rawson.
The illustrations are from Mr Websters Catalogue and he sold the pieces originally for the price of £20 + £4.10.0. I am asking £10.10.0 for the two and if you think they would be suitable for your museum I shall be very pleased to send them on approval.
I have also a small axe, with turtle shell blade, from the Matty Islands - price 17/6 - these I believe are very rare.
I enclose a stamped addressed envelope for return of the illustration.
Yours faithfully
B G L Killerby
Bedwell Farm,
Stevenage,
Herts
22.IX.03
Dear Sir,
I have sent off by passenger train G.N.R. Carriage paid in the Benin stool etc and trust they will reach you safely.
If you should not decide to keep the articles you will oblige by returning them by rail - Suttons, I find knock the thing about so much.
Yours faithfully
B G L Killerby
Bedwell Farm,
Stevenage,
Herts
20.X.03
Dear Sir
I thank you for your letter of yesterday’s date and beg to say I will accept your offer of £6.6.0 for the two specimens of Benin Carvings.
I am Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
B G L Killerby
Bedwell Farm,
Stevenage,
Herts
16.X.03
My Dear Sir
I thank you very much for your letter of the 14th - inset - and for putting my two specimens of Carved wood from Benin before your committee.
I am afraid the gentlemen of the committee do not quite understand the rarity and value of the specimens or they would have made a better offer.
The table was originally sold for £20 and the other specimen for £14.10.0 as you will see by the cuttings I sent you from Mr Websters Catalogue (https://wellcomecollection.org/works/rqmurwzt). At the death of General Pitt-Rivers (the greatest authority and collector of benin work) the two articles were sold - with a collection of others - at Staren’s Auction Rooms in London.
The table was knocked down and considered very cheap at £6.0.0 and the panel I bought at the same sale for £7.12.6.
Although I am anxious to sell the pieces I do not care to part with them at £2.7.6 less than they cost.
Do you think the Committee would increase their offer if the smaller were place before them at the next meeting. I thought they would have been delighted to have added the objects to the museum at £10.10.0 - and to knocke the price down half seems _________!
I am my dear Sir
Yours Faithfully
B G L Killerby
___________
Bertie Mullen Esq
Stephen Welsh
19 August 2021