H x D x W: 4.9 x 4.5 x 4.5cm (1 15/16 x 1 3/4 x 1 3/4in.)
Type:
Sculpture
Geography:
South Africa
Date:
Mid-late 19th century
Label Text:
Offered to visitors or shared among friends, snuff is usually carried in a small container made from a simple gourd or fruit shell. This example is made of rare materials; the container is made of ivory that has been embellished with a silver coin and horn inlay.
Although the surface is worn, the coin depicts Queen Victoria. Based on the style of the crown and the limited inscription, the coin is colonial and most closely matches examples from Hong Kong dating from the 1890s. The crown that is depicted, however, is found on royal portraits and stamps from the 1850s, and an exact date has not been determined. The distinctive crown is also shown inlaid on the side. Both the materials and the royal association identify this as a high-status object.
Description:
Ivory globular container with a flaring conical top, a neck inlaid with an English crown and a lid inset with a coin of Queen Victoria.
Provenance:
Dr. Werner Muensterberger, New York, ca. 1950-1980 to 1989
Exhibition History:
Treasures 2008, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., April 9-August 24, 2008
Art of the Personal Object, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., September 24, 1991-April 9, 2007
Published References:
Patton, Sharon F. and Bryna Freyer. 2008. Treasures 2008. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 100-101.
Content Statement:
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