Accession Number2000/2.37
TitleContainer
Artist(s)Object Creation Datecirca 1890-1920Medium & Supportbrass, leather, cowrie shells, wood, and string Dimensions 6 11/16 in x 2 3/8 in (16.99 cm x 6.03 cm)
Credit LineGift of Dr. James and Vivian CurtisSubject matterThis object is listed as made by Kirdi peoples; while most likely correct, it is not without issue. “Kirdi”, meaning pagan, was the label given to the various peoples from northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, and southern Chad by neighboring Fulani and Kanuri peoples because they did not practice Islam, while the latter do. The people collectively known as “Kirdi” are actually many different cultural groups with their own customs. However, due to a lack of information on where exactly this object came from, it is not possible to say with certainty which group of people created it.
Cast from brass, snuff—or tobacco—containers were once prestige items. They are part of a group of objects related to smoking, including brass pipes and powder horns.
References Cited:
Gebauer, Paul. 1979.
Art of Cameroon. Portland, Or.: Portland Art Museum.
Lembezat, Bertrand. 1961.
Les populations païennes du Nord-Cameroun et de l'Adamaoua. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.
Lembezat, Bertrand. 1952.
Mukulehe; un clan montagnard du Nord-Cameroun; coutumes, rites, croyances. Paris: Berger-Levrault.
Northern, Tamara. 1984.
The Art of Cameroon. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution.
Page, Donna. 2007.
A Cameroon World. New York: QCC Art Gallery Press.
Physical DescriptionA brass container with a round body and short neck. Along the top and bottom edge of the body are undulating lines. The wooden stopper is connected to the container by a string of brass beads. There are also three strings of cowrie shells attached to the top of the container.
Primary Object Classification Decorative Arts Primary Object Typesnuff bottleCollection AreaAfricanRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
bottle
shells
smoking (activity)
snuff containers
tobacco (material)