British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/36)

Spear. Wooden shaft completely covered in animal hide: butt bound with long haired strip of hide with a tail. Rest of shaft covered with 5 sections of hide sewn on to shaft - brown, ginger and white (some sections have lost most of hair). Leaf-shaped metal blade on long tang fixed into shaft. Blade divided lengthways, half black, half polished metal. Old label: Malawi Dec. 1950

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/44)

Elephant ornament, carved ebony, hippo tooth tusks (missing) and inlaid eyes and toe nails. Hatching on back of ears, trunk and belly. Very heavy

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/46)

3 ornaments - 2 turtles, 1 fish. Carved ebony

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/49)

2 bracelets, silver plaited wire with elephant hair, central filigree polygon clasp, Discoloured lacquer on silver.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/50)

5 brooches, silver filigree, different shapes, floral patterns.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/52)

2 rings, silver and elephant hair, filigree design. Similar to bracelets T/MALW/49.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/56)

Walking stick of ebony, tapered shape but otherwise plain. 2 areas of metal wire binding around the shaft, brass ferrule.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/62)

Walking stick of ebony, tapered shape, otherwise plain.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/63)

Walking stick of wood, crook at top formed from ?root of sapling - bulbous and darker than the stick, possibly scored on underside to bend to shape. Possibly made from bamboo.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/65)

Knife, metal blade grooved on one side and small area of decoration, 9 sided facetted ebony handle. A label reads: ‘hand forged’. Old Label 'MAL/C/1, Nyasaland, Knife, hand forged'.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/67)

Spear. Assumed wooden shaft, but completely covered in hide. 4 sections of animal hide: butt wrapped with white hide, then 3 strips of hide with hair sewn around the shaft - llower one almost dehaired, middle white, top black. Leaf shaped metal blade on long tang, fitted into shaft. Blade divided lenthways, one half black, other half polished metal. Old label: Malawi Dec. 1950.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/MALW/69)

Chair. Carved in wood, articulated with two parts that slot together. Main part, curved shape, slightly tapered to floor, triangle cut from centre to form two feet. Slot for the seat part, then another plain slot, with above that decorative cutouts of a semi-circle (?sun), lettering '10th', and bird in a squarish opening. 'MADE BY DENNIS' carved in wood below the bird. Seat part has long flat shaft with two feet cut as in the main part, seat end opens out into a semi-circular seat with 3 inward-facing arrow cutouts.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIGE/48)

Sword with a curved blade in an elaborate leather covered wooden sheath with section covered in straw plait work, brass knop to the hilt. Two hangers of leather thong with circular boss ends. Attached to each hanger is a thick bundle of leather thongs with wider flaps of cut and painted leatherwork in geometric designs – those in the front also have applique decoration. Over each bundle of thongs, front and back, is a leather flap with silk or cotton embroidered pattern in geometric design. Written on it is ‘Gambia 267’

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIGE/603)

Very wide short trousers, probably Hausa. Made from narrow strip cloth. 100mm wide. Beige with a white central stripe. Sewn togther with a shaped gusset and indigo blue cotton waistband for a drawstring.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIUE/8)

Length of fishing net in black knotted cord. With two large cork floats. Very tangled, needs relaxing.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIUE/18)

Wrapper or stole made from a length of bottle green poly-cotton fabric printed in white. It has alternating motifs of the word ‘NIUE’ below either a man carrying an outrigger canoe or a swordfish motif.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIUE/19)

Lemon coloured cotton T-shirt with a printed design of a sun, Hibiscus flowers, palm trees and “THE ISLAND OF NIUE” in pink, green, yellow and black. Round neckline and short set-in sleeves. Inside the neck is a manufacturer’s label: '36 GOLDEN WHEEL 45% COTTON 55% SPUN RAYON MADE IN CHINA.”

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/NIUE/20)

White cotton T-shirt with a black printed design of palm trees, clouds, plants and flowers, and the word ‘NIUE’. Round neck and short sleeves. Inside the back neck is a manufacturer’s fabric label: “92cm Made in N Z Washing instructions Fabric printers 22 Honan Place Avondale”.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/PANN/006)

Long dress, yellow cotton with a red geometric design, round neck and sleeveless tubular design. Notting Hill carnival?

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/PANN/007)

Pan Necktar steel band costume - a,b,c. Notting Hill carnival? a) Shirt. Black drill cotton, short sleeves and high neck. Printed on the front is 'Pann Necktar', a steel pan and along the hem orange flames. The flames are held together at the sides with wool tassles looped through punched holes. The tassels also decorate the edge of the sleeves. b) and c) pair of leg coverings of different sizes. Black polycotton printed with green and red flames with an elasticated gathering at the top to wear above or below the knee.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/PAPU/60)

Ceremonial mask, wood, carved, painted with ochre, lime and charcoal, open eyes and mouth, cowrie shell and grass decoration.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/SEYC/4)

Walking stick, metal rod, curved at top, covered with bone discs. One vertebrae missing. Metal at each end.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/SIER/60)

Staff, carved wood, top in form of animal head, coiled snake and other animal

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/SRIL/30)

Manuscript, palm leaf. Sacred Buddhist text in Sinhalese.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/TANZ/7)

Model ship, MV Mapinduzi, liner with 3 short masts, 2 lifeboats.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/TANZ/82)

Chest, wood, rectangular, brass plaques and tacks, drawers at bottom

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/TANZ/153)

Knobkerrie, wood shaft, pyrographic pattern, plain round head which has been separately carved and added. Appears to be broken and repaired by splinting it with a piece of square timber, tied with red tape, tape and string. Lots of string around top. Label ‘Africa Tanganyika Knobkerrie (walking stick/weapon. Given by the Chest & Heart Association London, 17/11/1959.’ Number on shaft '47'.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/VANU/34)

Painting, on cotton, rectangular. Design of a large red hibiscus flower, stalk, leaves, buds and fruit/seeds. The background, from the top, is blue, yellow and white with the white bottom overpainted with purple lines. At one end in black is the word “Vanuatu”. In mint condition.

British Empire & Commonwealth (T/WEST/30)

Kava bowl, carved wood, circular, multiple legs.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2008/063/001)

Curved metal blade with a carved handle of dark wood decorated with hair and wire, in a sheath of lighter wood, with decorative carvings and hide and cord details. Dayak people, Sarawak. The wire binding is loose. Scabbard is in two parts (it has a slit). Sheath has lost most of its hair. Carved decoration on one side.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1512.tet)

Wooden walking stick with a shaped handle. Fish vertebrae threaded onto the pole.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1513.tet)

Chinese brush painting of lotus flowers and leaves. Signed and stamped.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1992/001/014)

'Pom pom' of white lion/goat hair/fur (?) attached to silver handle with 2 multicoloured woollen balls also attached. Kerala festival.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1992/001/016)

'Pom pom' of white lion/goat hair/fur (?) attached to silver handle with 2 multicoloured woollen balls also attached. For festival use?

British Empire & Commonwealth (1992/001/024)

Brass horn (Kombu), in three parts which screw together and slightly flare all along length of horn. One section chipped. Red cord hanging from horn end.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1995/001/149)

Woollen rug - brown, black, blue, cream with stripes. Wider stripes with embroidered dancers, hut, palm tree. Possibly from Malawi.

British Empire & Commonwealth (1997/069/003)

Photo postcard showing old London Bridge and Burma Pavillion. British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London, [1924].

British Empire & Commonwealth (1999/231/001.paper)

Booklet- British Empire Exhibition 1924. Official Guide (215 long x 140 w when shut). Also includes fold out map of the layout.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/050/381)

Souvenir booklet of the British Empire exhibition 1938.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/050/385)

Black and white photo postcard showing the East African Pavillion, British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London, 1924. Shows people using land trains.