Accession Number: 1900.39.10
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Institution data
Internal Data (eng)Internal Data (eng)
Pitt Rivers Museum
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last Updated: 2021-07-20
Language: English
Accession NumberObject ID
1900.39.10
DescriptionDescription
Clapper bell of bronze, with four corners, with a face on one side. [El.B 11/10/2011]
Material / ProcessMaterial
Material of original: Bronze Metal; Material of original: String
DimensionsDimensions
Height: max 215,00 mm; Length: max 145,00 mm; Width: max 145,00 mm
KeywordsObject Type
Keyword: Musical instrument; Keyword: Bell
No. of objectsObject Count
1
DatingDate Made
Date made: 1897
Geographical ProvenanceProduction Place
Africa -> Western Africa -> Nigeria, Benin City
PersonsPrior Source
Field collector: Benin City Punitive Expedition, PRM source: Charles G. Kingsley
ProvenancePrior Source, Provenance
Other Owners, Mary Henrietta Kingsley
When CollectedDate Collected
When collected:
Cultural GroupsEthnic Attribution
-> Edo
AcquiredAccession Date
Acquired: 1900
Primary DocumentationNotes
Accession book entry: : 'MISS MARY H. KINGSLEY. The following specimens chiefly collected by the late Miss Kingsley in W. Africa, were bequeathed by her to her brother Charles G. Kingsley, to be transferred to the Museum at his death. Mr. Kingsley generously surrendered his life interest in the specimens and presented them at once to the Museum, September 1900: The following bronzes from Benin city, taken during the punitive expedition under Admiral Rawson, February, 1897..... 1 large bronze bell.; Card Catalogue entry: : 'S. NIGERIA, BENIN CITY Large bronze bell. Taken during the punitive expedition under Admiral Rawson, Feb. 1897. d.d. Miss Mary Kingsley, 1900.'; Pitt Rivers Museum label: : [Related Documents File] '3 bronze or brass bells. BENIN CITY. Beq. Miss M. Kingsley...1900 & (2) d.d. Mrs. Braithwaite Batty 1917'. [LKG 25/06/2009]; Written on object: : 'BENIN CITY, W. AFRICA. Bequeathed by MISS M.H. KINGSLEY, 1900'. [El.B 11/10/2011]
Research NotesNotes
Research Notes: Wesley Jacobs, Helen Jacobs from the Bullpen, Steve Hurst, sculptor and foundry owner, and Daniel Hunt from Kansas State University undertook a research visit on Tuesday 18 October 2011. The following comments were recorded about this object: Early Benin objects are made of thin bronze, but later objects were thicker as bronze became a status symbol. ¼” thick is big casting. When casting something thin you need hot metal so it works into the thin cavities. Bronze is heated up to 1400°C and by the time it gets to be poured it has already cooled to 1200°C. The moulds need to be as hot as possible. If left around humidity can get into the moulds and cause problems in the finished object. This is a medium sized cast object. The pattern mould was probably made with wax sheets and the finer design with thin rolls of wax. The design is smoothed with a heated rag. The bell has a crack along one corner edge – this probably occurred during the casting process. The wax model would be covered with a mixture made of dung, clay and sand. The centre core mixture needs to be less dense, have more give that the outer mixture, due to the shrinking of the metal. The wax would probably be bee’s wax. The mark at the top of the handle is probably from a riser. The mould has runners and risers, channels to let out wax and let in metal. [MJD 24/10/2011]