The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Category: Royal regalia

Shield with lion’s mane possibly made for Emperor Tewodros

Published May 08, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A shield and lion’s mane made for Emperor Tewodros, taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala mentioned at length in acquisition notes. Shield described as possibly made for Tewodros.

There are images nd more details on the British Museum’s database entry – https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1868-1001-1

The entry reads: 

“It is possible this shield was made for Tewedros II himself. It was described as ‘royal’ at the point of aquisition and as ‘the most richly ornamented of the royal shieds’ in R. Holmes to J. Winter Jones 20th July 1868 (British Museum Central Archive, Original Papers Volume 94, April to July 1868, no. 7629).“

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.1
Date: 19thC (mid)
Made for: Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia
Acquisition name: Field Collection by: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Posted In Military | Royal regalia | Said to belong to Tewodros | Shields | The Plunder
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Red silk royal robe

Published May 06, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A red and gold royal robe taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

See images and more details in the British Museum’s database – https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1868-1001-24

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal robe made of silk brocade. Partially lined with cotton.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1001.24
Date: 19thC(mid)
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Posted In Robes | Royal regalia | The Plunder
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Royal tent made of silk damask

Published March 30, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A multi-coloured tent, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal tent made of silk damask.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1230.19
Date: 19thC
Length: 358 cm
Width: 506 cm
Circumference: 1,012 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

Posted In Royal regalia | Tents
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Royal tent made of silk damask

Published March 29, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A multi-coloured tent, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal tent made of silk damask”.

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.20
Date: 19thC
Length: 310 cm
Width: 1000 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

Posted In Royal regalia | Tents | The Plunder
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Disraeli’s necklace

Published March 27, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Necklace belonging to Queen Tiru Warq, wife of Emperor Téwodros II, given by the commander of the British force, Robert Napier, to then British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli

Where: On show in Disraeli’s country home, Hughenden Manor, in Buckinghamshire, England, HP14 4LA. The site is now run by the National Trust.

The database entry includes a photo and describes a “necklace of yellow, blue and millefiore glass beads and ten silver caskets on silver chain”.

National Trust reference number: NT 428872

More reading

Pankhurst, R. 2009. Queen Ṭǝru Wärq’s Necklace Aethiopica 12 (2009) 202–206.

In Richard Pankhurst’s essay ‘Queen Ṭǝru Wärq’s Necklace’ the he states that this piece of jewellery is ‘unique’ and has contextualised it within the broader necklace-making traditions of Ethiopia due to the use of glass beads, silver cylindrical caskets, and filigree (Pankhurst 2009, p. 205). He also explains that necklaces with these elements would have been ‘highly prized by Ethiopian princesses, noblewomen, and all who could afford them’.

Posted In Royal regalia | Said to belong to the queen | The Plunder
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The Bonhams drinking horn ‘taken from Magdala’

Published March 04, 2023 / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Horn, said to belong to Tewodros, later mounted in silver, engraved and turned into a pitcher

Where: Last in the hands of an unnamed buyer who paid £2,125 for it at Bonhams,in London in January 2017

According to the sale details, which include two photos:

the horn has a cover inscribed: “THE DRINKING HORN OF KING THEODORE’S WAS TAKEN FROM MAGDALA by Lieut C M Davidson ADJUTANT 4TH KINGS OWN ROYAL REGIMENT 13th April 1868”. There is a shied on the front inscribed: “TO Lieut Colonel Edmond A Shuldham OF COOLKELURE FROM HIS FRIEND Capt C M Davidson”.

There is a footnote saying Christopher Middlemass Davidson and Edmond Anderson Shuldham are linked through the South Cork Militia. It adds:

“Christopher Middlemass Davidson was born June 5th 1843 and became Ensign by purchase in the 4th Foot in Feb 1862. As Lieut. and Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, 4th Foot, he participated in the Abyssinian Campaign. He saw action at Arogee and was in the forefront in the Capture of Magdala. In 1869 he became Regimental Instructor of Musketry and with promotion to Captain in 1875 transferred to the 104th Foot. He served as Adjutant of the South Cork Militia from 1878 to 1881. In 1881 he was promoted to Major and retired from the Royal Munster Fusiliers as Lieut. Colonel in 1882. In 1889 Lt. Col. Davidson became a Gentleman at Arms. He served in the sovereign’s bodyguard under Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V. He was awarded the 4th Class MVO in 1921 and died April 6th 1922.”

Details
Lot 72
Maker’s mark: WH, London 1879
Height 26.7cm
Sold for £ 2,125 inc. premium
HOME & INTERIORS
The Gentleman’s Library Sale
19 Jan 2017, 10:00 GMT

Bonhams
LONDON, KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Posted In Drinking vessels | Miscellaneous | Royal regalia | Said to belong to Tewodros | The Plunder
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