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.
Read & Dalton 1899: The design is in the same style as Af1897,-518, but is even less easy to understand, except when compared with other similar designs. The shuttlecock-shaped figure (Journ. Anthrop. Inst. XXVII., PI. XXI.) appears to be another version of the head of the European on Af.-519, the hair, as seen in Af1898,0115.2, being shown as long curves. Among the other figures the hooked-shaped object is no doubt intended for the elephant's trunk, ending in a human hand, as seen in Fig. 8 of the detail image attached to Af1224.1-3, from a carved tusk; the oval creature represents a turtle, while along the edges are porcupine like-animals.