{"product_id":"a-large-brass-efic-charger-depicting-calabar-wildlife","title":"a. large brass efic charger. depicting calabar wildlife","description":"\u003cp\u003ea large antique african efik hand embossed brass charger, tray, platter from old calabar, nigeria, decorated with an elephant in front of 2 oil palms surrounded by wild flora, beside a body of water with a swimming fish dating to around 1930.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ethe charger depicts a\u003cspan\u003en elephant in front of two oil palms with abundant flora either side. the rim decorated with geometric patterns. even though the elephant is not a significant animal in efic culture, throughout africa it represents strength, leadership and wisdom. the oil palm in efic culture has social, cultural and economic significance. the oil palm has historically featured in efic folklore, proverbs and rituals. the palm is surrounded by stylised flora. the elephant stands beside a body of water, probably the calabar river, containing  a swimming fish, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003epossibly t\u003c\/span\u003ehe silver catfish, \u003ci\u003echrysichthys nigrodigitatus \u003cspan\u003eknown locally as \"inaghaa\", it was and is a significant food fish and a crucial part of the local economy. \u003c\/span\u003eonce found in abundance , fish numbers are dwindling due to over harvesting in the calabar river. t\u003cspan\u003ehe calabar river has held and is still of immense significance in efik culture, primarily facilitating trade and shaping efic historical identity. calabar serving as a major port city and cultural hub in nigeria. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eart is an underemphasized contributor to efik mythology. efik beliefs in ndem and ekpe were transmitted via engravings on brass plates (akpangkpang). prior to the depiction of myths, events and stories on brass plates, efik women expressed their art by decorating houses with geometric designs of various kinds. w\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eomen were regarded as the artisans in\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e old calabar \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esociety\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e women would create beautifully finished products which would then be bought and taken as souvenirs from old calabar by english traders, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethese products, particularly the calabashes ( gourds ) were fragile and very often goods would break on their journey to england.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e edem ndarake also known as mr. ironbar is regarded as the father of brass art in efik history. the wives of ironbar were active members of the calabash engraving industry. mr \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eironbar chose to solve the problem of art breakages and wastage by encouraging the women artists to transfer their designs to brass which was a far more durable and luxurious material. mr. ironbar earnt his monika after encouraging the english traders to bargain with iron bars which inturn could be used as tools for decorating \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrass products such as trays, dishes and basins. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrass dishes were often designed with images of efik deities, often \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe designs depicted animals, flora and fauna and geometric patterns that were symbolic to the deities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis tray is a fine example of this punched or chased metalwork decoration. the small metal tools with shaped ends were used to give impressions such as dots, lines or semicircles. these were then lightly held against the surface of the metal and tapped with a hammer to give the required detail and texture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethe charger measures 470mm in diameter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e34\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"wild folk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57149209739639,"sku":null,"price":685.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/4550\/6795\/files\/IMG_4258_a06e29df-a2b6-4ee5-8a42-e7c042b3a69b.jpg?v=1780602507","url":"https:\/\/wildfolk.net\/products\/a-large-brass-efic-charger-depicting-calabar-wildlife","provider":"wild folk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}