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Exhibition Stall of Local Produce

Image Artifacts
A photograph showing a multi-tiered display of West African artifacts including carvings and brasswork under a bamboo structure.
An exhibition stall displaying Igbo carvings, Nupe brasswork, and other local produce. From the British Museum, No: Af,A47.80.

A photograph depicting an exhibition stall housed within an open structure of bamboo poles. The display features a two-tiered wooden shelving system containing various artifacts, including Igbo carvings, Nupe brasswork, Igbo ankle-ornaments, Igbo combs, and mats. Two swords from Benin are also present alongside a musical instrument. The background and upper sections of the stall are lined with woven mats featuring geometric diamond and triangular motifs. The image is a gelatin silver print from the British Museum collection, part of an album documenting indigenous settlements and trading stations.

Community Notes

Onyeka Nwokike

Aug 31, 2026

This photograph belongs to the Af,A47 album, which was transferred to the British Museum in 1993 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The album documents the Niger Coast Protectorate during the late 19th century, particularly around the Benin Expedition of 1897. The exhibition likely represents efforts by colonial officers, including Reginald Granville and Cyril Punch, to document and promote the commercial potential of regional industries to visiting officials and traders.

Onyeka Nwokike

Aug 31, 2026

The display highlights inter-regional trade networks through the inclusion of Nupe brasswork originating from Bida in Northern Nigeria. The swords from Benin are identified as the Ada, a state sword with a curved blade, and the Eben, a ceremonial fan-shaped sword, both of which were primary symbols of power and authority in the Kingdom of Benin.

Onyeka Nwokike

Aug 31, 2026

The presence of Igbo carvings and ankle-ornaments, specifically the brass nza rings worn by titled women, indicates a protectorate-level exhibition where products from multiple ethnic groups under British jurisdiction were gathered. Other images in this series include a notable portrait of Oba Ovonramwen while in exile.

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