idno
Z 14750
Edo designations
Aga
Aga
English designations
Chair
Categories
Household & Everyday Objects
Location
Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, United Kingdom
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Chair
Chair
Chair
Chair
Chair
Chair
Chair

Provenance

3 events
Production
unknown to 1885
The object was produced in Edo State.
Looted
unknown to December 1885
The object was looted by William Melville Laborde in Edo State.
Unknown
unknown to December 1885
The object is known to have come into contact with the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge and William Melville Laborde, later in Cambridge.

Institution data

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge
The data was transferred directly by the institution.
Last updated: 2022-07-18
Language: english
Institution fieldValue
idno
object id
Z 14750
local
edo designation
Physical description/0
description
Catalogue card notes: "Seat made from branch of [?] Trinity Tree [spelling unclear]. / Old label says that it belonged to Gpowoo, a chief who threatened to kill the Rev'd Wm Melville Laborde (the missionary) and to make his skull his drinking cup. Mr Laborde took it as loot at the raid of Talliah Gpowoo's stronghold in Benin."
Physical description/1
description
Triangular prism-shaped chair, with wood held together by fibre. The base of the seat are worn and the wood has cracks running along its height. The wood seems to have been lacquered. Scratches and evidence of use wear are visible.
Physical description/2
description
Physical description/3
description
Physical description/4
description
d_Description Name
description
Seat made from branch of Trinity Tree. Looted in the raid of Talliah Gpowoo's stronghold in Benin by missionary Rev Wm Melville Laborde
height
dimensions
630 mm
length
dimensions
570 mm
width
dimensions
620 mm
weight
weight
3.55 kg
Inscription
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/0
inscriptions
A large label with a text and the accession is stuck under the seating of the chair, and the accession number is marked in black.
Labels - Markings/1
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/2
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/3
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/4
inscriptions
Labels - Markings/5
inscriptions
period
date made
maker
producer
d_Place
production place
Africa; West Africa; Nigeria; [?Kingdom of Benin]; ?Edo State; Talliah Gpowoo's stronghold
Other owners
prior source
source
prior source
Laborde, William Melville (Rev.) [collector]
Collection or Excavation Year
date collected
culture group
ethnic attribution
Edo
source date
accession date
Amendments - updates/0
notes
Register notes only 'Benin' while the card notes 'Nigeria West Africa'. It is unclear if this refers to the historical Kingdom of Benin, so this hse been added with queries
Amendments - updates/1
notes
Amendments - updates/2
notes
Amendments - updates/3
notes
Amendments - updates/4
notes
Exhibition/0
exhibition history
Exhibition/1
exhibition history
Reference Numbers
bibliography
Z 14750
References/0
bibliography
References/0 2
bibliography
References/1
bibliography
Related Documents/0
bibliography
Catalogue card reads, in blue ink: "Z 14750 | W. Africa | Nigeria / Seat made from branch of Trinity Tree. / Old label says that it belonged to Gpowoo, a chief who threatened to kill the Revd. Wm. Melville Laborde (the missionary) and to make his skull his drinking cup. Mr Laborde took it as loot at the raid of Talliah Gpowoo's stronghold in Benin." Red circular sticker in bottom right of card.
Related Documents/1
bibliography
Related Documents/2
bibliography
Related Documents/3
bibliography
Related Documents/4
bibliography
Related Documents/5
bibliography
Related Documents/6
bibliography
Acquisition Details/0
Acquisition Details/1
Acquisition Details/2
Analysis/0
Analysis/1
Archaeology
Auction - Sale/0
Auction - Sale/1
CMS Context/0
CMS Description
Catalogue
Display/0
Display/1
Display/2
Display/3
Field_collection/0
Collected by Rev. William Melville Laborde during a raid of Talliah Gpowoo's stronghold in Benin
Field_collection/1
Found_together - assemblage
Freezing
Online Only
Other/0
Other/1
Production - use
Remedial/0
Remedial/1
Surface Clean
unknown
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