Context (Field collection)
Presumed taken on the British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin, February 1897. There is no information on how Clarke acquired this object, but given that such objects on the market in the early twentieth century reached Britain through the Expedition, and the likely sale room or auction acquisition, this is presumed to be the most likely route.
Event Date 1897
Author: rachel hand

Context (Related Documents)
Correspondence between Major C.T. Lawrence, Exhibition Commissioner for the Nigeria pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, 1924, clarifies that Clarke was ‘in a position to loan or obtain the loan of 4 Bronze Benin Heads and an ivory mask’ for the Benin display.
Major C.T. Lawrence to L.C.G. Clarke, 29 October 1923, MAA letter boxe (1923)

Event Date 29/10/1923
Author: rachel hand

Context (Display)
Lent by Louis Clarke for exhibition in the Nigerian Pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley Park, London, 23 April 1924 to 31 October 1925. The Nigerian Pavilion featured Nigerian artists as living displays, historic material and a replica altar from the Oba, Aiguobasinwin Ovonramwen, Eweka II, which featured painted wooden representations of the original bronze and ivory artworks.

Event Date 23/4/1924
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Amendments / updates)
Catalogue card reads, in black ink: "25.67 | Benin / West Africa / Human mask of bronze, the pupils of eyes formed by an iron nail. Three tribal marks over each eye. Tattooing down nose - no ears. Reticulated head-dress similar to mask on PL: 21 fig 126 of Pitt Rivers' Antique Works of Art from Benin. Choker round neck. /
Exhibited by donor at Empire Exhibition, Wembley 1924."
Red circular sticker in bottom right corner of card.
Event Date 1925
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Related Documents)
Register notes 'Fine bronze mask. Clarke Gift. See index card. Exhibited: Wembley Exhibition 1924.'

Event Date 1925
Author: Katrina Dring

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card notes: "Human mask of bronze, the pupils of eyes formed by an iron nail. Three tribal marks over each eye. Tattooing down nose, no ears. Reticulated headdress. Choker round neck"
Event Date 8/6/2000
Author: maa

Context (References)
Catalogue card reads "Reticulated headdress similar to mask on Pl.21, fig 126, of Pitt Rivers Antique Works of Art from Benin"

Event Date 8/6/2000
Author: maa

Context (Analysis)
In January 2017, Prof. Marcos Martinon-Torres and Agnese Benzonelli, UCL Institute of Archaeology, tested this idno using a portable XRF as part of a programme of base metal analysis of Benin material. This object was tested three times and the results are as follows: 1) Cu: 76.20%; Zn: 18.29%; Sn: 1.41%; Pb: 3.11%. 2) Cu: 77.92%; Zn: 15.86%; Sn: 1.68%; Pb: 3.24%. 3) Cu: 78.63%; Zn: 14.44%; Sn: 1.57%; Pb: 3.32%. It was noted as having moderate Zn and low but notable Sn and Pb.

Possibly dated to 1550-1610 though this could be a random result of recycling.

Event Date 27/1/2017
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

Conservation (Remedial)
CON.2017.3718 | Remedial
Event Date 6/2/2017
Author: Kirstie Williams

Context (Amendments / updates)
Photograph attached to rear of catalogue card.
Event Date 19/8/2020
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Amendments / updates)
The card and register reference to 'Benin' may refer to the wider historical Kingdom of Benin or Benin City, so both have been included with queries
Event Date 15/10/2021
Author: rachel hand