Provenance

7 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

1920s to 1945

The object is known to have come into contact with Eduard von der Heydt.

Confiscated

1939 to 1945

The object was confiscated by Eduard von der Heydt from Department of Justice Office of Alien Property with its destination in United States.

Transfer

1940s to 1964

The object was transferred from Department of Justice Office of Alien Property to the Buffalo Museum of Sciences from United States to Buffalo.

Transfer

1964

The object was transferred from the Buffalo Museum of Sciences to Department of Justice Office of Alien Property from Buffalo to United States.

Transfer

1966

The object was transferred from Department of Justice Office of Alien Property to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History from United States to Washington, D.C..

Institution data

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

The data was transferred directly by the institution.

Last updated: 2022-01-18

Language: english

Institution field	Value
Accession number object id	251214
Catalog # object id	E402858-0
Object Name designation	Memorial Head of an Oba (king)
Material material	Copper alloy
Measurement dimensions	Height 27.5 cm
Index Term object type	Sculpture
Count object count	1
Date created date made	18th Century
Site production place	Nigeria, Edo State / Kingdom of Benin, Benin City
Donor / Transactor prior source	Office Of Alien Property
Collector provenance
Date collected date collected
Culture ethnic attribution	Edo
Accession date accession date	1/19/66
Notes notes	Provenience undocumented (Benin City, Nigeria). 18th century date based on chronology for Benin bronzes established by William Fagg and Philip Dark. In the collection of Baron Eduard von der Heydt (also known as Edward von der Heydt and Ratio, S.A.). Head seized by the Office of Alien Property, Department of Justice, during World War II, [the owner was a German national and classified as an enemy alien.] The memorial head had been on deposit in the Buffalo Museum of Science until it was transferred to the custody of the Office of Alien Property in 1964 and transferred to the Smithsonian Institution in 1966. Exhibited in NMNH �African Voices� from 1999 - present.
Digital negative # images	99-21302; 99-21303
Online record weblink	http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/37ecc8b5e-9f3b-4065-a25b-bc1abb570eb5
Photos Online?	yes

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