Rachel Hand: 'Given Webster's acquisition of much of the spoils of the Benin West Africa 1897 Expedition and the early date of 1902-3, it is likely his personal donation of Benin material was also collected on the 1897 Punitive Expedition This has therefore been added to the source field with queries to indicate the lack of available data for a definite provenance' (02/10/2018).
Amendments - updates/0notes The note created during transcription of the catalogue card in 2001 added that it was unclear if 'Edo is the province or language group, and whether Benin refers to the city of Benin'. The Register noted only 'Benin, West Africa'. As the catalogue card was written before the creation of Edo State in 1991, 'Edo' would have referred to the Edo people and has been removed from the place field.
The narrow term 'Benin' has been used within the museum and more widely to refer to the both Benin City as well as the Kingdom of Benin and both terms have therefore been added to the place field in brackets to show the original provenance e.g., 'Benin [?Kingdom of Benin; ?Benin City].
Webster, W.D. (1900). "Catalogue No. 24, of Ethnographical Specimens in Bronze, Wrought Iron, Ivory and Wood, from Benin City, West Africa, taken at the fall of the City in February 1897, by the British Punitive Expeditionunder the command of Admiral Rawson." Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnological Specimens. European and Eastern Arms and Armour. Prehistoric and Other Curiosities, Vol. 4, No. 24.
Illustrated as Plate 8; figs 27-33, No. 28. (9806) Piece of hammered brass ornamented with a crocodile in the centre, probably the mounting from a saddle, 17 by 14 3/4 inches. £ 2.0.0.
Related Documents/0bibliography Catalogue card reads, in blue biro: "1902 E 449 | AFRICA | WEST AFRICA / NIGERIA / A large flat ornament (?use) of bronze or brass of repousse bands representing a large lizard set in an oval frame (imperfect) / Benin W. Africa / Mr. W.D. Webster | R 1903 263"
Red circular sticker in bottom right corner.