Catalogue card notes: "Bronze figure of a man [...] with two children"
Added in different handwriting "The figure is holding an "Eben," a ceremonial sword (a symbol of chiefly rank), in his right hand; and a bird is sitting on the head of the male child on the right. The 2 children are holding hands"
Bronze figure of a man with two children/attendants. The figure is holding an "Eben," a ceremonial sword in his right hand and a bird is sitting on the head of the male figure on the right. The two other figures are holding hands.
Catalogue card reads, in blue ink: "50.274 | AFRICA | Nigeria / Bronze figure of a man 10 1/12 " high with two children. / Benin. / F.W. Green Bequest."
In second hand, blue biro below the original description: "The figure is holding and "EBEN", a ceremonial sword (a symbol of chiefly rank) in his right hand + a bird is sitting on the head of the male child on the right. The two children are holding hands."
Red circular sticker on bottom right of card.
In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this idno using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material. The object was tested twice and the results are as follows: 1) Cu: 73.14%; Zn: 20.88%; Sn: 0.55%; Pb: 4.49%. 2) Cu: 72.91%; Zn: 20.93%; Sn: 0.53%; Pb: 4.71%. It was noted that a Zn reading of >20 indicates post 1700.
Analysis/1
Archaeology
Auction - Sale/0
Auction - Sale/1
CMS Context/0
CMS Description
Catalogue
Display/0
Display/1
Display/2
Display/3
Field_collection/0
Given by Frederick William Green, Honorary Keeper of Antiquities at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (1908–1949). The majority of 'bronze' items such as these in museum collections were collected on the 1897 Punitive Expeditionto Benin. This is likely to be the origin of this work but there is no documentation on Green's acquisition.