John Lembcke (1873-?) originally came from Mecklenburg and was a Hamburg merchant. He worked as an agent for the trading company L. Pagenstecher & Co. in southern Nigeria. The company maintained several branches in Cameroon and Nigeria and traded raw rubber, among other things.Lembcke was probably employed at a branch of the firm in Warri, from where he went to nearby Benin City. There, he found objects which he eventually brought to Hamburg. Between 1899 and 1905, he sold 40 objects from the Kingdom of Benin to the museum.
Reliefplatte (Bruchstück) mit Schachtelträger
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Bronzegießergilde Igun Eronmwon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria, 16./17. Jh. / Gelbguss / Ankauf von John Lembcke, 1905, Inv. Nr. 1048:05
Der dargestellte Höfling trägt eine hohe Schachtel in der für Benin charakteristischen Spulenform. In solchen Behältnissen wurden bei zeremoniellen Auftritten Geschenke überbracht oder auch Nachrichten in Gestalt von symbolträchtigen Objekten weitergeleitet. EkpokinSchachteln bestehen aus zwei zylindrischen Teilen mit Deckplatte, die ineinandergesteckt werden. Sie wurden aus Leder, aus Messsingblech oder in Gelbguss gefertigt.
Label Text (eng)
Relief Plaque (Fragment): Courtier Carrying a Box
Unidentified workshop of the Bronze Casters Guild Igun Eronmwon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, 16th/17th century / Brass / Acquired from John Lembcke, 1905, Inv. no. 1048:05
The courtier is carrying a tall box in the characteristic spool shape typical for Benin. Such containers were used to carry gifts during ceremonies or to convey messages in the form of symbolic objects they contained.
Ekpokin boxes consist of two cylindrical parts with a cover plate, which are inserted into each other. They were made of leather, brass sheet or casted in brass.