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Axe with wood handle surmounted by bronze feline head and crescent shaped blade flanked by scrolls and joined to handle by fine undulating strands
Scepter
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Randy Batista

Scepter

Maker Fon Artist
Date19th Century
Place of originBenin
MediumBronze, wood
Dimensions22 × 11 1/8 × 1 1/2 in. (55.9 × 28.3 × 3.8 cm)
ClassificationsFurnishings and Equipment
Credit LineGift of Drs. John and Nicole Dintenfass
Object number2016.86.1
Collections
Visual DescriptionAxe with wood handle surmounted by bronze feline head and crescent shaped blade flanked by scrolls and joined to handle by fine undulating strands
Forged curved blade with blunt end, and cast brass handle; cut out depiction of a chameleon on the inner curve, and cross cut-out in center of blade, with words engraved above: MK Balogu; Kent I of AL on one side and 23. 9 47 XX   MK Balogu AL on the opposite side. Engraved images of fish, serpents and possibly a frog, with borders of small circles. Edge of blade has rings, possible for attaching crotal bells (now missing).
Fon Artist
20th century
Iron staff surmounted by disk, crescent mounted on disk, conical bells suspended from disk.
Fon Artist
19th-20th century
Iron blade with twisted iron strands on shaft; copper wrapped wooden handle.
African Artist
19th-20th century
A fine miniature cloisonné enamel vase of baluster form, the rounded body set with two high relief gilt-bronze mask handles and decorated with lotus flowers and leaves, the tall flared foot decorated with flower heads and leaf lappets, the tall flared neck similarly decorated. All enameled in red, yellow, white, light and dark green, pink, and lapis blue on a turquoise blue ground.
Chinese Artist
18th Century
Iron staff surmounted by disk; two abstract heraldically configured birds; conical bells suspended from lower edge of disk.
Fon Artist
19th-20th century
Sword with double-lobed handle of incised wood with traces of gold leaf, bronze serpent forming the shaft, terminating in three cut-out curved blades.
Akan Artist
19th-20th century
Bronze Wine Cup 청동잔
Korean Artist 작자미상 作者未詳
Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), 12th-13th century
Conical shaped wooded frame covered with cloth and horizontal polychrome strands of glass seed beads, surmounted by globular head with fabric cap
Southern Sotho Artist
19th-early 20th century
Pyramidal bell surmounted by feline head; spiral motifs on base.
Tiv Artist
19th-20th century
Crescent shaped blade with long handle, flared and inscribed in the center with geometric designs.
Djerma Artist
19th-early 20th century
Spear with iron blade and opposing end sharpened as stabber; triangular blade with barbs on its shaft and incising; wood handle has incising, bulb in center with cross hatching; handle is wrapped in copper strips.
Congolese Artist (Democratic Republic of Congo)
before 1953
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