Context (Display)
Exhibited in 'The Proper Study of Mankind: Great Anthropological Collections in Cambridge' (known at MAA as the 'Centenary Exhibition') at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 12 March - 06 May 1984.
Event Date 12/3/1984
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (CMS Description)
Pendant of ivory
Event Date 1/6/1996
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
It is unclear when this object joined the Museum's collection. The '1884' number inscribed on the object seems to suggest that it was part of the Gordon's first donation to the Museum but a note on the catalogue card suggests that the object was collected by Sir Arthur Gordon and donated by his son, George Arthur Maurice Hamilton Gordon, 2nd Lord Stanmore.
Event Date 27/9/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card 1 reads [stamped in black ink:] 'Z 2746 FIJI'. [typed:] 'Breastplate of ivory. A. H. Gordon circa 1875.' [in pencil in the bottom left corner:] '1/265'. [added in black ink:] '(Centenary Exhibition)'. [stamped in blue ink:] 'SHOW CASE NUMBER 1'. A small round red sticker pasted on the card.
Catalogue card 2 reads [handwritten in black ink:] 'Z 2746. Breastplate of ivory. Show Case number 1'. [in blue pen:] 'C. SIR ARTHUR GORDON (D 2ND LORD STANMORE). [in pencil in the bottom left corner:] '1/265'.
Event Date 27/9/2012
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (CMS Description)
Breastplate of whale ivory, circular in shape but cut in a straight line at the top, except from a small central protrusion. The breastplate is formed of four pieces of whale ivory: 3 placed vertically and one placed horizontally at the bottom. The periphery of the object is carved with a ridge. Along the outer edge of the object, the width is serrated (except at the top). Several holes are drilled on the surface of the four ivory plaques and the plaques are lashed together with thin lengths of string. Some of the lashing would have been hidden by small ivory plugs, five of them are still visible at the front. At the back, many holes are drilled, some of them still show remain of vegetable fibre inside. Two holes are still covered with a small ivory plug. At the top, a cord of twisted vegetable fibre (?hibiscus) is attached to small holes on either sides of the top of the object. The cord is very stiff. The front has a very light cream colour while the back is of a very dark honey (almost orange) colour. 'Z. 2746' and '1884.G48.' inscribed in black ink at the top of the breastplate.
Event Date 27/9/2012
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
Exhibited: 'Chiefs & Governors: Art and power in Fiji', Cambridge MAA, 7 June 2013 - 19 April 2014.
Event Date 25/4/2014
Author: Remke van der Velden

Conservation ()
CON.2013.26 |
Event Date 1/3/2016
Author: maa