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1998.480.16

Patrick Achong making a janus-faced skin-covered helmet mask

1998.480.16

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Collection type
Photograph
Description
Patrick Achong making a janus-faced skin-covered helmet mask
Geographical reference
Nigeria
Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria
Cross River
Cultural groups
Ejagham
Person
Photographer Keith Nicklin
Named Person Patrick Achong
PRM source Keith Nicklin
Date / Period
Date of print: 1970s Date of photograph: Between 1970 and Spring 1974, probably 1972, uncertain
Acquisition information
Found unentered: 2009
Dimensions
Image dimension 35 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1998.480.16
Research and responses

The slides mounts are labeled Agfa-Gevaert, a merger which took place in 1964. This provides a terminus post quem for the developing and mounting of the photographs, and therefore probably the photographs themselves, of 1964. The original box of slides was labeled 'B. Fagg'. Catherine Fagg and Angela Rackham have both ruled out the idea that they were taken by Bernard Fagg. This suggests that the box was labeled for the attention of Bernard Fagg by the photographer. Since Bernard Fagg left the PRM in 1975 this provides a terminus ante quem for the slides. [CM 30/03/2009]

Research notes - Keith Nicklin, the photographer, included some of the images from this group of 79 slides in his article entitled 'Nigerian Skin-Covered Masks' published in the journal African Arts Volume 7, Number 3 (Spring 1974). This particular image is not included in the article, although other images are included that show Patrick Achong making this janus-faced helmet mask. On 18 September 2013 I showed these images to Jill Salmons, Keith Nicklin's widow, who thinks they were probably taken in 1972 but definitely between 1970 and before Spring 1974. Jill confirmed this particular image shows Patrick making a skin-covered mask. [ZM 20/09/2013]