Grouping of 5 Manillas, Okpoho, Nigeria, 19th Century

View Similar Items

19th Century Igbo Iron Spiral Currency (Manilla), Nigeria

19th Century Mumuye Iron Currency, Nigeria

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 2

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 1

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th Century

Late 19th Century Mumuye Iron Flat Spiral Currency, Nigeria

Nigerian 19th Century Gold and bronze trade currency Bracelet

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 4

Bronze Currency Bangle/Manilla, Oromo People, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, 19th C.

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 3

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 5

19th Century Igbo Spiral Copper Alloy Arm Adornment/Currency, Nigeria

About the Item

Manillas are horse-shoe shaped, made of an open circle of bronze, brass, or copper with enlarged finial terminations. They were used as a currency in West African countries from the 15th up to the late 20th century. Manillas were brought to West Africa by European traders where they were exchanged for goods such as pepper, ivory, leopard skins, and, later, slaves. During the Transatlantic slave trade manillas were a frequent medium "currency" of exchange for slaves. Manillas are named after the Portuguese or Spanish word for bangle. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Penn State University and Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Pennsylvania State University - Museum of Art permanent collection; The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection. Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa, the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where they remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College - Williams Art Center for an exhibition titled "Plainly Geometric - Selections of Art from West Africa". In 2018 Mrs Swanson passed away.

Dimensions:
Height: 0.71 in (1.8 cm)Width: 2.37 in (6 cm)Depth: 2.33 in (5.9 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 5
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Brass,Bronze,Copper,Forged
Place of Origin:
Nigeria
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. Excellent patina and traces of vert-de gris. Signs of previous use, tarnish, dings and scrapes, very solid pieces.
Seller Location:
Aramits, FR
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6432238824922

More From This Seller

View All

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 2

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Early to mid-19th-century bronze currency bracelet / Manilla in circle form. Intricate graphical geometrical. This type of bracelet was worn/used by the Zaghawa People also called Bé...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Sudanese Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 2

$744

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 1

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Early to mid-19th-century bronze currency bracelet / Manilla in circle form. Intricate graphical geometrical. This type of bracelet was worn/used by the Zaghawa People also called Bé...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Sudanese Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Beri People, Sudan, 19th Century - No 1

$744

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th Century

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

19th-century bronze currency bracelet / Manilla in horseshoe form with fixed opening. Intricate graphical swirl design and tips are shaped with large flat ends with 5 beads on each s...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Burkinabe Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Brass

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th Century

$886

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 4

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

19th-century bronze currency bracelet / Manilla in horseshoe form with fixed opening. Intricate graphical swirl design and tips are shaped with large flat ends with cross pattern des...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Burkinabe Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 4

$531

Bronze Currency Bangle/Manilla, Oromo People, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, 19th C.

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

19th-century bronze currency bangle / Manilla with a fixed opening. Minimalist, simple design work with engraved geometrical circles and lines. This type of bracelet was used and wor...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Ethiopian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Currency Bangle/Manilla, Oromo People, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, 19th C.

$319

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 3

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

19th-century bronze currency bracelet / Manilla in horseshoe form with fixed opening. Intricate graphical design with a lattice pattern. This type of bracelet was worn or used by the...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Burkinabe Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Currency Bracelet/Manilla, Dogon People, Burkina Faso, 19th c. - No 3

$638

Antique 19th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Iron

19th Century Igbo Iron Spiral Currency (Manilla), Nigeria

$1,530

19th Century Mumuye Iron Currency, Nigeria

Located in London, GB

This tall, elegant iron currency, from the Mumuye culture in Nigeria, dates back to the nineteenth-century. The currency displays a long, spoon-shaped form, with attractive spiral fe...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Iron

19th Century Mumuye Iron Currency, Nigeria

$1,287

Late 19th Century Mumuye Iron Flat Spiral Currency, Nigeria

Located in London, GB

A fine incised iron flat spiral currency from the Mumuye in Nigeria. A similar example of iron currency can be found in the Ghysels Collection, as published in 'A World of Belts' (20...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Iron

Late 19th Century Mumuye Iron Flat Spiral Currency, Nigeria

$1,151

Nigerian 19th Century Gold and bronze trade currency Bracelet

Located in NICE, FR

We present you an 19th century antique Nigerian high quality bronze GOLD PLATED bracelet currency traditionally used in monetary functions ...

Category

Antique 19th Century African Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze, Gold Plate

Nigerian 19th Century Gold and bronze trade currency Bracelet

$1,418

19th Century Igbo Spiral Copper Alloy Arm Adornment/Currency, Nigeria

Located in London, GB

Cast into a beautiful coiled form, this copper alloy Igbo woman's arm adornment from Nigeria was also used as a form of currency. This 19th century piece has developed a lovely green...

Category

Antique 19th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Copper

19th Century Igbo Spiral Copper Alloy Arm Adornment/Currency, Nigeria

$1,043

19th Century African Iron Currency Mfunte Mfumte Nigeria Cameroon

Located in Point Richmond, CA

The price is for an individual currency and includes a stand. The custom stands can display the currencies horizontally with the rounded point facing to the left or right or mounted vertically. Please specify your preference. The shape of a Mfunte currency has a seemingly simple yet complex design. The forged iron surface was scratched in an end-to-end direction to create a visually interesting surface, a central raised vein to create two sections, and swelling was incorporated on the front at the straight end. The aging of the iron has further added to the texture and attractiveness of the design. Colonial coinage replaced Africa's traditional iron currencies...

Category