Material of original: Iron Metal; Material of original: Coral; Material of original: Copper Alloy Metal; Material of original: Plant Fibre; Material of original: Brass Metal
Research Notes: The Dumas-Egerton Collection, of which this is part, was examined by Hermione Waterfield of Christie's in May 1984; see 'Part of the Nigerian Art Collected by Admiral Sir George Le Cler[c] Egerton on the Benin Expeditionof 1897 on Deposit at Maidstone Museum' (copy in RDF). The entry for this object reads: 'A Benin ceremonial sword, ada, the pierced curved metal blade covered in a web of coral beads with clusters of larger beads, the brass-bound wood handle suspending further coral beads. 35 in. long.' [JC 23 1 2002]