The old, independent Kingdom of Benin existed for nearly 1,000 years, until the British ‘punitive expedition’ in 1897. It had a king (‘Oba’), with his royal court, noblemen, priests, an army etc. Today Benin is part of the modern country of Nigeria. The king (‘Oba’) of Benin is today still a recognised, venerated ‘local authority’ (see cat. no. 50). The prestigious use of ivory, as well as the leopard as ‘symbolic animal’ were, and remain today, the exclusive privilege of the king (‘Oba’). It can therefore be assumed with certainty that this object originates from the possession or immediate surroundings of the king (‘Oba’) of old Benin.
The ivory leopard sits upright and alert. Its mouth, with noticeable fangs, is open, its claws are extended, and its tail stands upright at the back. The dots of the leopard’s hide are accentuated with inserted round copper rings. Some of these rings have fallen out due to age and are missing.
The piece has light, narrow cracks to both sides, and minimal breakages. On its smooth underside the object has a large hole, covered over with thin wood or bark. Here, the leopard was stuck onto a staff or tenon, as a crest of a ‘sceptre’ or a rod. The very old, patchy patina of this ivory leopard is convincing. Without edges, ‘soft’, worn round and shiny, with patches ranging from light whitish-yellow to dark brown. This is normal, as ivory naturally darkens and becomes speckled over time. Also the fine craquelure on the underside indicates the unusually old age of this item. Dimensions: 9.5 x 4 x 4.5 cm. 18th / 19th century or earlier. (ME) ASA

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.