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.
Klinge eines Ada-Schwertes
Unbekannte Werkstatt der Eisenschmiedegilde Igun Ematon / Königreich Benin, Nigeria, Datierung unklar / Eisen / Ankauf von John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. Nr. C 2416
Das zu den wichtigsten Insignien des Königs von Benin gehörende Ada-Schwert symbolisierte dessen absolute weltliche und religiöse Autorität und exemplifizierte seine Macht über Leben und Tod.
Label Text (eng)
Blade of an Ada Sword
Unidentified workshop of the Blacksmiths Guild Igun Ematon / Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, date of production unclear / Iron / Acquired from John Lembcke, 1899, Inv. no. C 2416
One of the most important insignia of the Oba of Benin, the Ada sword, symbolized his absolute secular and religious authority and exemplified his power over life and death.