gown
- Museum number
- 2008,2025.57
- Description
-
Full length flared gown with full length sleeves. The gown is composed of machine plain woven cotton machine sewn together and decorated with extensive appliqué work in dyed green, red and yellow cotton, dyed blue cord, dyed pink silk, dyed black felt and patches of brocade. There are three elliptical panels on each sleeve and three panels down the front and back of the garment. There is a wide black triangular border around the neck and the base of the garment is bordered with lengths of dyed green cotton.
- Production date
- 1971
- Dimensions
-
Length: 133 centimetres
-
Width: 167.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- 57 = C108/E103
(Heathcote’s notes)
Patchwork gown. Bought from a trader in Maiduguri market on 30 December 1971 for £6. Such gowns are worn by the bodyguards of the Shehu of Bornu.
(additional comment) This gown demonstrates that the patchwork garments used by Mahdist officers in the late XIXc were still being made three quarters of a century later.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 2008 (8 September)
- Acquisition notes
- This collection was made over a ten year period in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the vendor and collector, Dr David Heathcote, was Head of Art History at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, northern Nigeria. His PhD research focused on the study of Hausa embroidered dress; this collection was formed as a result of his extensive field research.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- 2008,2025.57
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: C108 (Heathcote collection number)