{"product_id":"a-very-large-efic-presentation-charger-from-1929","title":"a very large efic presentation charger from 1929","description":"\u003cp\u003ea very large efic brass charger from old calabar, embossed with the dedication a.j.r. to f.day-barker may, 28, 1929. the dedication is surrounded with floral swags. the name day-barker is underscored with a serpent or snake. i\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003en traditional Efik and Ibibio cosmology, the snake is considered a sacred messenger of water deities. A downward orientation signifies blessings, spiritual energy, or guidance coming from the ancestors and river gods directly down to the earth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003ediameter.... 810mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eIn colonial records from Calabar around 1929, administrators were usually indexed only by their initials and surnames in the official civil service \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem class=\"eujQNb\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003eBlue Books\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-processed=\"true\" data-complete=\"true\" aria-owns=\"action-menu-parent-container\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e. There are two highly likely identities for \"\u003cspan class=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwibjOT45_CUAxUqW0EAHQK5GIwQ0fERegYIAAgMEAE\" data-processed=\"true\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-processed=\"true\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003eA.J.R.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\" based on personnel active in the Southern Provinces of Nigeria at that exact time\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003cstrong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwibjOT45_CUAxUqW0EAHQK5GIwQ0fERegYIAAgQEAE\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003eA. J. Reynolds\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: a colonial administrator or customs agent frequently stationed across Niger Delta trade ports like Calabar. or \u003cstrong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwibjOT45_CUAxUqW0EAHQK5GIwQ0fERegYIAAgQEAM\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003eA. J. Ross\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e: a colonial medical, engineering, or administrative officer attached to the Calabar provincial government. f.\u003c\/span\u003eday-barker was an accountant serving the British colonial administration in Nigeria during the 1920's.  a.j.r. was probably a colleague and \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-processed=\"true\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003ecommissioned an Efik brass artisan to hand-punch this specific floral plate as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003epersonal parting gift \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong class=\"Yjhzub\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-processed=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003ecommemorative presentation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003elarge plain brass charger dishes and platters known as neptunes (\u003c\/span\u003ea brass or copper pan or plate used for the evaporation of sea water to obtain salt) were \u003cspan\u003eimported from britain to nigeria and then decorated locally in old calabar. regarded as important prestige items by the local chiefs they were displayed with great ceremony. items of efik decorated brass were also presented by the king and chiefs to important dignitaries and distinguished visitors to the area. these chargers are interesting transcultural aesthetic expressions resulting from a history of european contact .\u003c\/span\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\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"T286Pc\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"c\" data-sfc-cb=\"\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style='font-family: \"Google Sans\", \"Helvetica Neue\", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);'\u003e\u003cspan\u003e37\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"wild folk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57150802461047,"sku":null,"price":795.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/4550\/6795\/files\/IMG_4224_3d939f14-123f-45f1-bbc3-201ec8dbd353.jpg?v=1780692769","url":"https:\/\/wildfolk.net\/products\/a-very-large-efic-presentation-charger-from-1929","provider":"wild folk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}