Pair Of Bronze Attendant Figures Of The Oba Of Benin. Fine Pair. 38cm. Nigeria.

 Item .

Pair Of Bronze Attendant Figures Of The Oba Of Benin. Fine Pair. 38cm high. Nigeria. This pair is part of a vast body of work described today described as the Benin Bronzes.

The Benin Bronzes  are a group of more than a thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin in what is now the Midwest area of Nigeria.

Collectively, the Benin bronze objects form the best-known examples of Benin art and were created from the thirteenth century onwards by artists of the Edo people of Nigeria.

Origin .

Edo People of Nigeria.

Description.

A fine, rare and well-crafted pair representing iconic attendants to the Oba of Benin. Pair show excellent craftsman skill with great attention to detailing and good form and balance. Patina is oxidised and attractive with genuine age and wear.

One attendant, with tiered coiffure and braided hair extensions to the side of face ending in coral beads adornment, is a Royal Priest who holds an Ekpokin.

The Ekpokin is a cylindrical box which would have been presented to the Oba as proof of a successful mission.

The Ekpokin may contains soil from a captured land or the head of someone the Warriors of the Benin Kingdom defeated.

The Priest attendant wear coral bead necklace and wrist bracelets. He holds the Ekpokin in front of him over his midriff as was customary in Benin Kingdom then. He wears a patterned motif loin cloth with side sash. His outfit is completed with ankle coral beads.

The second attendant wears a helmet with protusive spikes and braided hair extensions down the side of his face and terminating in coral beads.

Around his neck is the iconic and spiked Leopard tooth necklace.He is shown with  coral bead bracelets and holds a square hand fan usually made from woven cane, Raffia or Jute material and used to keep the Oba, his queen and guests cool.

He wears similar loin cloth as the Attendant with the Ekpokin and coral beads anklets.

Both figures show fine, oxidated and attesctuve patination genuinely derived over time.

The pair were made post the 1897 "punitive expedition" era.

Some areas of minor metal degradation and thinning but a solid and excellent pair throughout in excellent collector condition.

The quality and finesse of this Benin bronze warrior pair is rare to come across today and testimony to our ability to find  the finest authentic Benin bronzes still available today because of our presence on the ground in the home of creation, ethnographic significance and use of these fascinating treasures.

Significantly, this is a pair of figure offered at less than what would be demanded for even a single one of this pair from.other sellers of authentic Benin bronzes.

Overall, a beautiful  and significant pair of collector items that will rise in value with time making them a wise investment also. One of the best available anywhere offered at a great price.

Please note that this pair is an authentic Benin bronze creation field-collected by Yemisi Gallery in Edo State which is the current home of the ancient Benin empire.

This pair is  made with same traditional lost wax method and incredible skills as the first of the Benin bronzes created several hundred years ago. Thank you for looking.

Use.

These pair of attendants to the Oba of Benin, and many other items made of Bronze, decorated the Royal palace and general court of the Benin Kingdom. They were crafted by very skilled artisan , masterful at working with metal, as commemorative gifts to the Oba of Benin and his many Chiefs and royal affiliates.

This pair show two important attendants of the Oba of Benin attending to their duty of carrying out their specific duty to the prime Monarch of the Benin Kingdom.

Measurement.

The pair are virtually identical in size and measure:

38cm high x 13cm wide x 9cm deep.

Weight .

Each attendant figure weighs 3kg giving a combined weight of 6kg approximately.

Postage information.

Please note we are a UK-based seller who trade internationally and mainly by obtaining tribal artifacts directly in their area of creation and use as we rate authenticity higher than anything else per tribal art.

We sometime therefore send items, especially big and heavy creations, directly from where they were field-collected as this saves duplication of cost and effort for us. We always use UPS trackable service.

Please allow at least two weeks for delivery after payment is made. Thank you....