Provenance

3 events

Production

1500 (approximate) to 1550 (approximate)

The object was produced by Unknown member(s) of the Igbesamwan guild in Benin City.

Unknown

1814 (approximate) to 1856 (approximate)

The object is known to have come into contact with William Maskell.

Purchase

1856

The object was purchased by the British Museum from William Maskell.

Institution data

British Museum

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2022-08-04

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Registration Number object id	Af1856,0623.162.a-c
Object Name - Comment designation
Object Name - Object Name designation	salt-cellar
Title designation	Afro-Portuguese Ivories (Series)~Bini-Portuguese Ivories (Series)
Title translation designation
Title type designation
Object History Note / Acquisition Note description provenance notes
Physical description description	Salt-cellar; made of ivory in three sections. Comprised of two spherical lidded containers joined by central support and divided horizontally across the three sections: base (a); middle section (b) and lid (c) which is a replacement for the original. Base and middle section have two European (Portuguese) equestrian figures in dynamic pose, both clean shaven with long straight hair and angular noses. Dressed in jerkins, pleated skirts, decorated stockings, and caps. Figure on left holds sword and figure on right holds battle-axe. At front between equestrian figures is smaller standing attendant with similar dress and features. At back is nude angel figure in dynamic pose facing backwards. Two pierced lugs at top of base and lower edge of middle section at front and back. Replacement lid has radiating decoration with threaded and grooved button terminal.
Material material	ivory
Material - Comment material
Dimension dimensions
Dimension comment dimensions
Dimension measurement unit dimensions
Dimension note dimensions
Dimension value dimensions	Height: 22.00 cm (a-c)~Width: 11.00 cm (a-c)~Depth: 10.00 cm (a-c)
Dimension value end dimensions
Inscription - Note inscriptions
Inscription - Quoted inscriptions
Inscription language inscriptions
Inscription position inscriptions
Inscription translation inscriptions
Inscription type inscriptions
Production date date made	1525-1600
Production date - Comment date made
Producer/Artist - Association producer
Producer/Artist - Name producer
Technique production technique	carved
Technique - Comment production technique
Production place production place	Made in: Benin City (?)
Production place - Association production place
Production place - Comment production place
Production place - Site details production place
Previous owner - Association prior source
Previous owner - Comment prior source
Previous owner - Name prior source
Acquisition Funding Source Name provenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name Association provenance
Acquisition Funding Source Name Comment provenance
Acquisition Name provenance	Rev William Maskell
Acquisition Name Association provenance
Acquisition Name Comment provenance
Excavation/Field Collection Note provenance
Excavator/Field collector - Association provenance
Excavator/Field collector - Name provenance
Associated event - Association event
Associated event - Event event
Associated place place collected
Associated place - Association place collected
Findspot - Association place collected
Findspot - Comment place collected
Findspot - Place place collected	Found/Acquired: West Africa
Findspot - Site details place collected
Associated name - Association reign associated name
Associated name - Comment reign associated name
Associated name - Name reign associated name
Associated ethnic name - Association ethnic attribution
Associated ethnic name - Ethnic Name ethnic attribution
Production ethnic name - Association ethnic attribution
Production ethnic name - Comment ethnic attribution
Production ethnic name - Ethnic Name ethnic attribution	Edo (?)
Responsible department department and institution
Comment notes	This salt-cellar and another of similar form and execution in the collections of the National Museums Scotland (A1950.3) appear to be by the hand of the same master carver. By jhudson 03 Aug 2022
Exhibitions Loans and Displays - Current and Past exhibition history
Bibliographic reference - Citation bibliography
Bibliographic reference - Comment bibliography
Bibliographic reference - Reference bibliography	Bassani & Fagg 1988: Cat. no. 119. pp. 167-168, fig. 221; pp. 180-182, fig. 244; p.240~Fagg (1959): pl.14-17~Read & Dalton 1899: p.35; pl. II,2.~Bassani 2001: Cat. no. 796. p. 256
Condition condition
BM/Big No - Number
BM/Big No - Prefix
BM/Big No - item
Collection	Maskell Collection
DAMS Asset - Number
Other number	1897,0701.1.a-c
Other number - Comment
Other number type	incorrectly attributed as
PRN	EAF13042
School/Style	Afro-Portuguese Style
Subject - Comment
Subject - Subject	European ~equestrian ~angel
calc acquisition link.spec acquisition date text

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