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.
Bronzebehälter mit Figur im Relief
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Bronzegießergilde Igun Eronmwon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria,
19. Jh. / Gelbguss / Ankauf von John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. Nr. C 2399
In solchen Behältern konnten medizinische Substanzen zum Schutz der Eigentümer oder zur Schädigung anderer aufbe-
wahrt werden. Spirituell aufgeladene Medizin konnte in Amuletten mitgetragen, durch einen Schnitt in der Haut in den Blutkreislauf gebracht, eingenommen, mit Kleidung oder Schmuck
„gekocht“, als Badezusatz verwendet oder pulverisiert auf Empfänger:innen geblasen werden.
Label Text (eng)
Bronze Container with a Relief Figure
Unidentified workshop of the Bronze Casters Guild Igun Eronmwon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, 19th century / Brass / Acquired from John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. no. C 2399
Such containers were probably used to store medicinal substances to protect their owners or harm others. Spiritually charged medicines could be carried in amulets, introduced into the bloodstream through a cut
in the skin, ingested, “cooked” with clothing or jewellery, used as a bath additive, or blown onto recipients as a powder.