An extremely rare and important Lower Niger metal vessel, Nigeria

cast from a copper alloy, of globular form with four faces in relief, two with striated vertical scarification, the rim with geometric motifs alternating with elephant heads; aged metal patina.

W. D. Webster, Bicester, England
Augustus Pitt-Rivers (1827-1900), Farnham, England
The Georges deBatz Trust of 1983
Christie's, London, June 25, 1984, lot 93
Acquired at the above auction

Augustus Pitt-Rivers, Antique Works of Art from Benin Collected by Lieutenant-General Pitt-Rivers, London, 1900, p. 21, pl. 10, figs. 64 and 65
Henry Ling-Roth, Great Benin: Its Customs, Art and Horrors, Halifax, England, 1903, p. 229, fig. 267

Very good condition overall; minor impressions and tiny holes at the base, nicks at the rim from casting flaws; oxidation on rim; surface polished long time ago since patina has settled again.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Works by the "Lower Niger Bronze Industry" (see Fagg 1963: 40 for further discussion) are extremely rare. The Rosenthal vessel is distinguished by the treatment of the eyes of both the human faces and the elephant heads, which allows it to be attributed to a small group of works in the so-called "hunter style." This style was first identified by Fagg based on three works in The British Museum: a standing hunter figure, a bronze head, and a metal bell with six antelope heads (all published in Fagg 1963: pls. 58, 59 and 63b).

The age of works in the "hunter style" is still unknown. However, the herringbone design along the elephants' foreheads and trunks and inside the ears can be found in some examples of Ife court art, especially animal representations. For two terracotta animal heads excavated at Ife showing similar treatment cf. Eyo (1977: 64 and 65). Assuming that this similarity mirrors a living stylistic influence at the time of its creation, one may conclude that the Rosenthal vessel, as well as the other works from the "hunter style," are of similar age as the Ife terracotta sculptures, which are commonly dated between the 12th and 15th centuries.

According to van Rijn (GVR 2008), "Military General, archaeologist and ethnologist, Augustus [Henry Lane-Fox] Pitt Rivers married Alice Stanley, eldest daughter of Lord Stanley of Alderley in Cheshire, in 1853, and had nine children. Pitt-Rivers was not involved in England's African campaigns. Instead, he purchased his objects soon after the 1897 punitive expedition. He also bought a wide range of ethnographical objects for inclusion in the large museum on his private estate at Farnam, Dorset-England." Pitt-Rivers' 1900 publication on Benin art became the major reference book at the time and continues to be an invaluable document.