Old museum label adhered to object, notes: '04.275./ bronze figure/ (legs missing)/Benin/ Webster -- --- [illegible text].
Possibly added later in a different ink '*F.J.H. Jenkinson MA'
The number '04.275' has been crossed out and may have been an incorrect accession number. The current accession number has been added later
Fenton's antique dealers established a well-known 'Old Curiosity Shop' in the mid 19th century in Bury St. Edmunds. George Fenton was trading at 5 & 6 Meat Market, Bury St. Edmunds in 1855.
By 1888, if not earlier, they had opened 'The Old Curiosity Shop' in London, 11, New Oxford Street, where Samuel G. Fenton was trading as Fenton and Sons. Letters to Gen. Pitt Rivers, regarding potential new acquisition are addressed from Fenton and Sons on Oxford Street and are dated to 1888.
See http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/rpr/index.php/primary-documents-index/16-second-collection-1880-1900/659-pitt-rivers-and-fentons/index.html
See also Antique Dealers: the British Antique Trade in the 20th Century, https://antiquetrade.leeds.ac.uk/dealerships/36132 Both accessed 2/10/2018.
replacement catalogue card reads, in black biro: "1904 E 379 | AFRICA | WEST AFRICA / NIGERIA / Standing figure of a MAN cast in bronze holding a rope (lower part missing). / Benin. / Purchased Webster's Sale 1904 / F.J.H. Jenkinson's donation | R. 1905 780"
Red circular sticker in bottom right of card.
E 1904.376 is noted in the register as 'Benin/ Webster Sale 1904' and annotated 'though S.G. Fenton'.
This is written in the line for E 1904.376 but the ditto marks below suggest it may apply to the whole F.J.H. Jenkinson donation.
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.
Analysis/1
Archaeology
Auction - Sale/0
Catalogue card reads "Purchased, Webster Sale 1904, F.J.H. Jenkinson's donation."
F.J.H. Jenkinson M.A.