Box Item Number: 1264/8 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
A triangular metal box (part a) and lid (part b) with three triangular legs at each corner. Each side of the box has a four-legged animal with a tail and an alligator-like head surrounded by dots and rimmed with a coil-like grooved edge. The lid has a bird on top of each corner with an upraised head at the centre surrounded by a triangular design rimmed with dots and a coil-like grooved edge.
History Of Use
Container for gold dust, which was used as the standard currency in the Asante kingdom. The blacksmiths who produced these boxes were called tounufe.
Specific Techniques
Made with the cire-perdue or lost-wax method. The mould is made of beeswax, covered with clay, and then fired. The wax melts and the hollow clay cast is then filled with scraps of copper-based alloy, before being fired for a second time.
Item History
- Made in Ghana
- Collected between 1967 and 1973
- Owned by Dugal Macgregor before February 8, 1988
- Received from Dugal Macgregor (Donor) on February 8, 1988
What
- Name
- Box
- Identification Number
- 1264/8 a-b
- Type of Item
- box
- Material
- brass metal
- Overall
- height 11.0 cm, width 13.8 cm, depth 11.5 cm
- Part A
- height 7.5 cm, width 13.0 cm, depth 11.5 cm
- Part B
- height 4.0 cm, width 13.8 cm, depth 11.3 cm
Who
- Culture
- Asante
- Previous Owner
- Dugal Macgregor
- Received from
- Dugal Macgregor (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Ghana
When
- Collection Date
- between 1967 and 1973
- Ownership Date
- before February 8, 1988
- Acquisition Date
- on February 8, 1988
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- poor
- Accession Number
- 1264/0008 a-b