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2008.87.2

Ceremonial fan decorated with dyed ostrich feathers. [MdeA 01/09/2008]

2008.87.2

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Collection type
Object
Description
Ceremonial fan decorated with dyed ostrich feathers. [MdeA 01/09/2008]
Long description
Ceremonial fan. The fan consists of a main central section decorated with leather and snakeskin, an outer fringe of ostrich feathers and a handle covered in leather with a loop for suspension at the end. The central section of the fan consists, on both sides of the fan, of a base layer of card [this card is printed and probably recycled] to which has been stitched a strip of snake skin. The skin has been stitched to the card with thick undyed cotton yarn. A central panel of leatherwork has been stitched with a white leather strip on top of the snake skin. The leather is mainly red brown in colour but has geometrical designs worked in dark brown and white strips of leather threaded through perforations. There are seven large perforations in the central red brown leather which show some cardboard below. The feathers are held between the two faces of the fan by the stitching them by machine to the outer cardboard strip. The feathers are faded orange, green and brown. On one side they are predominantly green and on the other predominantly orange and brown. The feathers are trimmed at the outer edge. [MdeA 01/09/2008]
Geographical reference
Nigeria
Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria
Northern Nigeria
Person
Field collector J.L. Farrington
PRM source Patricia Farrington
PRM source Helen Forster
PRM source Richard Farrington
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1960-1965
Date collected
1960 - 1965?
Acquisition information
Donated: 12/07/2006 Found unentered: 2008
Materials and processes
Material Ostrich Feather Bird, Material Animal Leather Skin, Material Snake Skin Reptile, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Material Cardboard Paper Plant, Process Stitched, Process Recycled, Process Perforated
Dimensions
Width: max 585 mm approx, Length: max 675 mm excluding suspension loop, approx
Object numbers
Accession number: 2008.87.2
Research and responses

See Related Documents File for biography of Sir Ahmadu Bello. [MdeA 01/09/2008]

Search terms: Fan, Ritual and Ceremonial, Ceremonial Object