During the British expeditionto Benin City (Edo) in 1897 objects made of brass, bronze, ivory, coral, and wood were looted by British soldiers from the royal palace, its storerooms, and compounds. Some of these objects were sold or exchanged in West Africa. However, many were brought to the UK where they were retained by soldiers of the expeditionand subsequently inherited by thier families; put up for auction; or donated, lent, or sold to museums. See Collection File: Af1897,-.498-563.
Bell; lost-wax cast in brass. Quadrangular in form with slightly flaring sides and strap handle. Decorated on front panel with leopard's face in low relief. Iron clapper suspended from hole at top.
Read & Dalton 1899: Bell of cast brass, square in form, with flat loop handle; each face has a design produced by means of a punch; the front has a scale pattern, with a leopard's face in relief in the middle. On the two sides is a trellis pattern, and on the back a lozenge design with rosettes; raised borders; iron clapper. The workmanship and style of this bell are both very poor, and it is inserted as showing how inferior is the comparatively recent Benin metal work.
Exhibited: 1970-1973, London, Museum of Mankind, Divine Kingship in Africa 1991 Feb-Apr, Norwich, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Man and Metal in Ancient Nigeria 1993-1997, London, Museum of Mankind, Great Benin: a West African Kingdom