BENIN BRONZE LEOPRD HEAD ,NIGERIA Start Price USD 49.00 Current Price USD 49.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, September 07, 2008 End Time Sunday, September 14, 2008 Location Clareinch-Südafrika, default See more about 'BENIN BRONZE LEOPRD HEAD ,NIGERIA' Description BENIN BRONZE LEOPRD HEAD ,NIGERIAClick image to see full size pictureHeight:3 " Width:3" Deep:5"WEIGHT: 0.5 kg Material : brass Age: aprox.20-40 yAbout this tribe: The Benin kingdom was founded by the son of an Ife king in the early 14th century AD. The art of bronze casting was introduced around the year 1280. The kingdom reached its maximum size and artistic splendor in the 15th and 16th century. Following the bloody British punitive expedition to Nigeria in 1897, about three thousand brass and wooden objects were consigned to the Western world.The numerous brass heads and figures cast by Benin metalworkers were created for the royal palace, where a new oba would dedicate an altar to his predecessor. The heads were placed on the altars of kings, of brass caster corporation chiefs and dignitaries. Occasionally, a brass head was surmounted by a carved iv. tusk engraved with a procession of different obas.The altar functioned as a tribute to the deceased and a point of contact with his spirit. Using the bells and rattle stuffs to call the ancestor’s spirit, the oba offered sacrifices to him and to the earth on the altar. The majority of figures represented court officials, equestrian figures, queens, and roosters. Despite the disappearance of the Benin kingdom, the Yoruba people living on its territory continued to produce artwork inspired by the great royal art of Benin. ebay html -- Before bidding please read our business terms and conditions here All pieces are absolutely authentic. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Memorable customer service - Fine selection of unique and unusual things - Very competitive pricing - Excellent packaging of your merchandise. NOTE: If there is a problem, e-mail me before leaving feedback. I will take care of it immediately Please note that all old used Arts will have minor imperfections, chips, age cracks and other minor irregularities. We are shipping all parcels by airmail (14-24 working days)  You can't track the parcels. There  are no insurance options. We will send the items 2-3 days after the payment arrives. Please note: after sending we don't have any influence on the process, delays are possible. The buyer must pay customs or any other fees along with shipping. Please use the calculator for one or more items. Shipping cost calculator      please enter destination country Andorra Australia Austria Belgium Bulgaria Canada Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Danmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Great Britain Hungary Ireland Italy Israel Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Mexico Monaco New Caledonia New Zealand Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Rumania Saudi Arabia Sweden Switzerland Slowakia Slovenia Spain Turkey USA Vatican City All other countries Weight: kg. (Enter several weights like this: 1.6 + 0.4 + 2 etc.) shipping costs total: US$ The following methods of payment are possible: 1. Paypal, please use the paypal button below 2. Bank to Bank transfer American customers can transfer the money into our US-American bank account. European customers can deposit the money direct into our German bank account 3. Personal or cashier checks Check's can be sent directly to our US-American bank . Please don't send it to our South African address, it takes to long and fees are very high. 4.Payment by moneyboookers: This service is similar to paypal, as save and fast (similar registration procedure) and they accept South African customers. Click here to see my other auctionsThis auction created and managed by kAuction from Kinem Software Place a Bid!