Accession book entry: : Feb 20 F. Embury Esq 'Aboko', Derby Road, Bournemouth - Very fine plaque of bronze cast by the cire perdue process from Benin city, W. Africa. It was hidden away from our soldiers after the capture of Benin on the punitive expeditionof 1897, and was brought to Lagos by a nativetrading woman from whom it was obtained by Mr Embury. Pd by cheque £5-0-0; Accession book entry: : [added] - Seated man, full face, in chain mail, with kneeling men, profile, in chained mail; Accession book entry: : [added] - This object was physically numbered
Research Notes: This is very similar to objects illustrated in plate 47 (illustrations 99 and 100) in An Introduction to Benin Art and Technology, by P. J. C. Dark, (1973)). Represents the Oba sitting on a throne in the form of a kola-nut box, holding a ?blacksmith's hammer and supported by two attendants. Two heads of Europeans in relief above the Oba. Dark suggests these plaques date to the first quarter of the 17th century, but Ben-Amos (see plate 20 in The Art of Benin, by Paula Ben-Amos (1980)) illustrates one in similar style that she states is possibly 16th century. [LMM, undated; JC 18 7 2002, 9 5 2008]