Catalogue
Reg No.
VK C 3167
Institution
Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St. Gallen
Edo designations
English designations
Bird of Prophecy Staff
Categories
Musical Instruments
Ceremonial Objects
Staffs
Location
Museumstrasse 50, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Bird of Prophecy Staff
Bird of Prophecy Staff

Provenance

6 events
Production
unknown to February 22, 1897 (day approximate)
The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igun-Ẹrọnmwọn guild in Benin City.
Looted
February 22, 1897 (day approximate) to June 1899 (year approximate)
The object was looted by Unknown member of the British colonial military campaign on Benin - February 1897 from Benin Kingdom.
Unknown
1910s to 1931
The object is known to have come into contact with Han Coray, later in Agnuzzo.
Transfer
1931
The object was transferred from Han Coray to Zürich Schweizerische Volksbank from Agnuzzo to Switzerland.
Transfer
1940
The object was transferred from Zürich Schweizerische Volksbank to Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich from Switzerland to Zurich.
Transfer
December 1940
The object was transferred from Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich to the Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St. Gallen through Hans Jakob Wehrli from Zurich to St. Gallen.

Institution data

Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St. Gallen
The data was transferred directly through the Swiss Benin Initiative.
Last updated: 2022-07-04
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
Reg No.
object id
VK C 3167
Object name and materials
designation
Staff showing a bird of prophesy
Material
material
brass
Dimension/s
dimensions
H. 30 cm W. 11 cm D. 9 cm
Provisional dating
date made
19th century
Creditline
prior source
Acquisition through the mediation of Prof. Wehrli from the Museum of Ethnology Zurich
Provenances
provenance
19th century commissioned from the Royal Bronze-casting Guild (Igun Eronmwon) by the Royal Palace of Benin; by descent to Oba Ovonramwen (Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, b. about 1857 - d. about 1914; r. 1888 - 1897); 1897, probably looted from the Royal Palace during the British military occupation of Benin; [...]; until 1931, Han Coray; 1931-1940, Schweizerische Volksbank; 1940, Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich; since 1940 Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St. Gallen
Institution
department and institution
HVM Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St. Gallen
Institution acquisition date
accession date
December 1940
Additional IDs
Sensitive Content

Digital Benin collates digital material from institutions, and some of this material is inherently colonial and contains words, terms and phrases that are inaccurate, derogatory and harmful towards African and African diasporic communities. Catalogue transcriptions, book titles, exhibition titles and museum titles may contain harmful terms. We recognise the potential for the material to cause physical and mental distress as well as evoke strong emotions. Owing to the scale of the collection’s data, a process to implement sensitive-content warnings in the displayed data is still incomplete. The material within the catalogue does not represent Digital Benin’s views. Digital Benin maintains a strong anti-colonial, anti-racist position and affirms its support for centring the humanity of historically marginalised and disenfranchised communities. Read more about the background of this statement here

Info
About
Other