Context (Field collection)
Noted by the donor William Wiehé Collins, as belonging to the wife of his late brother, Mr Francis Collins, which had been collected by her first husband, who had served in the Benin Expedition.
Event Date 1897
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Field collection)
Catalogue card reads, in black ink: "39.175 | Benin / (a) Fiddle / (b) bow (metal frame). / Taken in the West African Field Expedition to Benin by a Capt. Jackson [see Letter 20/1/39.] d.d. W.W. Collins."

Added in second hand, black ink after IDNO: "Nigeria"

Red circular sticker on bottom right of card, with "A" and B" written next to it.
Event Date 1939
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Related Documents)
Given by W. W Collins. See Letter 20/1/1939 in MAA archives
Event Date 1939
Author: maa

Context (Acquisition Details)
Donated by William Wiehé Collins, an English landscape painter.


Event Date 1939
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
Catalogue card notes: "(a) Fiddle / (b) bow. (metal frame)."

Event Date 8/6/2000
Author: maa

Description (Physical description)
Metal of bow cracked at widest part. Most of the hairs broken. [A.Nadin]
Event Date 15/8/2003
Author: Katrina Dring

Context (Amendments / updates)
Mrs Francis Collins married in 1896, a year before the Benin Expedition, and there is no record of her being married before. The majority of the objects, initially accessioned as coming from Benin City, have been later identified as Asante.

It is likely, therefore, that Captain Jackson served in one of the Expeditionary Forces of the Anglo-Ashanti wars.
Event Date 15/10/2021
Author: rachel hand

Context (Amendments / updates)
Given the uncertainty of the place of collection, Ghana and Benin City have been added to the place field with queries, as have Edo and Asante in the cultural group field
Event Date 15/10/2021
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
Stringed bow for fiddle made of metal and animal hairs. The metal bow is externally decorated with circular motifs. The hairs are tied to the metal via two perforation on each end, secured with cotton threads on one end and leather on the other end. The hairs have a knot tied on one end near the leather tie.
Event Date 13/7/2021
Author: Benjamina Dadzie

Description (Labels & Markings)
The accession number is marked in white on the internal surface of the bow.
Event Date 13/7/2021
Author: Benjamina Dadzie