Description (Labels & Markings)
Thomas label adhered to base at front reads: 'Piano (ibweze) decorated with two human heads, two animal heads and [] large animal [...od] / Enugu'
Label is deteriorated.
Event Date
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Piano, large with two human heads and two animal heads the horns of each being held down by another animal with tail at the top.
Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (Related Documents)
Annual Report for 1910 records that the N.W. Thomas Collection was purchased with a donation from Professor Bevan.

Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (Related Documents)
See E 1910.118 and E 1913.3 records for further details about the Thomas Collection from Nigeria. [T.Cotterill]
Event Date 7/5/2001
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Display)
Exhibited: On display in 'Gifts and Discoveries', LKS Gallery between May 25 2012 and February 18 2013.
Event Date 19/2/2013
Author: Remke van der Velden

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Conservation ()
80.72 |
Event Date 1/3/2016
Author: maa

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Context (Field collection)
The thumb piano, Z 14207, is shown being played in Thomas' field photographs P.31165.NWT - P.31168.NWT.
Event Date 20/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Amendments / updates)
Thomas' field photograph P.31167.NWT, shows a couple of musicians holding the sanza Z 14207 and the drum Z 14200.
Event Date 22/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Description (Physical description)
Large, carved and painted wooden thumb piano with superstructure of human, antelope and cat-like forms. The top of the instrument is Janus-headed and displaying bared teeth. From either side, protrudes an antelope head, with two long, ridged horns. A spotted cat-like figure, with tail curved over the back, prominent navel and protruding spinal ridge, sits at the very top, one limb attached to each horn. The thumb piano itself is made from strips of cane lashed to a sub-rectangular wooden board and held away from the surface with small lengths of wood. This has then been attached with ?nails to the rectangular, lower potion of the overall structure. The whole is painted with white, brown and black pigments. The superstructure of the instrument has sustained a lot of damage and has been repaired in several places with glue and nails. The cracks appear a bright white which may either be a fixative or the original pigment colour. Visible insect damage.
Event Date 22/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The field photographs of this object suggest that the original colouration was much lighter, and that what is now a dark brown was closer to white. This is also suggested by the appearance of white along the cracks on the object. The wood has many insect bore holes in it, but this all appears to be historic. It seems likely, therefore, that the darker appearance has been brought about by a surface treatment post-collection, which may have been against pest infestation.
Event Date 22/11/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Context (Display)
Exhibited: On display in the Maudslay Hall, Introductory case, 1990-2011
Event Date 6/11/2018
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Field collection)
Collection location should read Enugu Ukwu. [Information provided by Paul Basu, Museum Affordances project 2018-2020]
Event Date 19/7/2018
Author: Katrina Dring

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Conservation (Remedial)
CON.2019.4285 | Remedial
Event Date 24/5/2019
Author: Kirstie Williams

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Loan (Exhibition)
Kettle's Yard, 09/07/2019 to 22/09/2019, Artist Unknown: Art and Artefacts from the University of Cambridge
Event Date 9/7/2019
Author: rachel hand

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Description (Physical description)
Ibwese. Sanza or thumb piano with six keys; two carved human heads facing in opposite directions with and two antelope heads at each side with horns curving into the centre. A carved leopard sits on top of the horns. Decorated with black pigment.
Event Date 27/10/2021
Author: Lily Stancliffe