Sword ornament of a gaboon viper with a hornbill

Sword ornament of a gaboon viper with a hornbill

Public Domain

Sword ornament of a gaboon viper with a hornbill
CultureAkan peoples
Titles
  • Sword ornament of a gaboon viper with a hornbill
Date1860–1900
PlaceGhana, Africa
MediumGold
Dimensions5 in. height (12.7 cm)
Credit LineGift of Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.
Object number97.1403
Not on view

Explore Further

ProvenanceAlfred C. Glassell, Jr. (1913–2008), Houston, before 1997; given to MFAH, 1997.
Exhibition History"The Private Eye: Selected Works from Collections of Friends of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, June 10, 1989–August 13, 1989.

"African Gold from the Glassell Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, December 3, 2001–March 3, 2002; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, March 13–September 19, 2004; Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Art, Spring, Texas, July 26–November 2, 2008; Beeville Art Museum, Texas, September 17, 2011–January 7, 2012.

"The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana," Dallas Museum of Art, April 15–August 22, 2018.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

Sword Handle in the Form of a Bird
1870–1930
Wood and gold leaf
97.1302
Sword Ornament
1900–1950
Gold
97.1399
Sword
1900–1925
Iron, wood, and gold leaf
97.1503
Sword
1850–1900
Iron
97.1384
Sword Handle
1900–1950
Wood and gold leaf
97.1396
Chief's crown
1900–1915
Gold leaf, wood, and velvet
97.898
Sword
1875–1900
Iron
97.1385
Sword Handle
1900–1950
Wood and gold leaf
97.1389
Fly Whisk
1925–1935
Horsehair, wood, gold leaf, red cloth, and string
97.853
front of object
19th century
Gold leaf and wood
2004.2330
Pair of Tlaloc Eyepieces
900–1200
Mother-of-pearl
2016.31.1,.2