{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O108447"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O108447/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2945/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AW2945/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AW2945","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O108447/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O108447","accessionNumber":"62-1870","objectType":"Censer","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This censer comes from an Ethiopian Orthodox church. It may have been brought to Britain as a result of the 1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia, when vast quantities of Ethiopian material culture were looted by the British Army from the fortress of Emperor Tewodros II at Maqdala.\n\nA censer is used to burn incense, a mixture of gum arabic (resin from an acacia tree) and fragrance. Incense has been used since ancient times to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to God. It is placed on hot charcoal in the bowl of the censer, and as the censer is swung to and fro on chains, the smoke billows outwards and upwards to perfume the whole church. The bells on the censer symbolise the Elders surrounding God in the Revelation of St John, the final book in the Bible.","physicalDescription":"Censer, square, on pierced base, the cover pierced, arched and surmounted with a foliated cross. Chains for suspension, to which twenty bells are attached. Openwork pattern with overlapping wheels.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"piercing","id":"AAT231153"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silver, pierced","categories":[{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006AW2945"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"83","id":"THES49711"},"free":"","case":"CA6B","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Censer","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ethiopia","id":"x35090"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1700-1850","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1850-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"29.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"<u>Provenance</u>: Possibly acquired in Ethiopia during the 1867-8 British military expedition. Purchased by the South Kensington Museum from Messrs. E&amp;E Emmanuel, 19 March 1870.\n\nThe South Kensington Museum (later the V&amp;A) purchased this censer from Messrs. E&E Emanuel in 1870. The entry in the accession register reads: ‘Censer. Silver; square, on pierced base, the cover pierced, arched, and surmounted with a foliate cross. Four chains for suspension, to which twenty bells are attached, unite in a cup-shaped handle. Abyssinian. Date of receipt from stores 19th March '70. from whom received Messrs E & E Emanuel, 1 Burlington Gardens’. (Note: Abyssinia was a term historically used outside of Ethiopia to refer to the country).\n\nA stamp in the nominal file for E&E Emanuel identifies them as ‘Goldsmiths, Silversmiths and Jewellers by appointment to her late majesty Queen Victoria’. \r\n\r\nThe date of acquisition suggests that it may have been brought to Britain as a result of the 1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia, when vast quantities of Ethiopian material culture were looted by the British Army from the fortress of Emperor Tewodros II at Maqdala. \r\n\r\nThe acquisition information for this object has been updated following a 2025 provenance research project on the V&amp;A’s Ethiopian collections.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Censer, silver, Ethiopia, 1700-1850 ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Molly Judd, \"Researching the provenance of the V&A’s Ethiopian objects\" (V&A Blog), 14 January 2026. https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/museum-life/researching-the-provenance-of-the-vas-ethiopian-objects"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"1867-8 British Expedition to Ethiopia (1/10/1867 - 13/5/1868)","id":"AUTH407033"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Ethiopian Censer\r\n\r\nA censer is used to burn incense, a mixture of gum arabic (resin from an acacia tree) and fragrance. Incense has been used since ancient times to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to God. It is placed on hot charcoal in the bowl of the censer, and as the censer is swung to and fro on chains, the smoke billows outwards and upwards to perfume the whole church. \r\n\r\nThis censer comes from an Ethiopian Orthodox church and its bells symbolise the Elders surrounding God in the Revelation of St John, the final book in the Bible. \r\n\r\nThe Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent.\r\n\r\nProbably Gondar, Ethiopia, 1600-1800\r\nSilver\r\nMuseum no. 62-1870","date":{"text":"22/11/2005","earliest":"2005-11-22","latest":"2005-11-22"}}],"partNumbers":["62-1870"],"accessionNumberNum":"62","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1870,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2017JU3286"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-23","recordCreationDate":"2005-01-10","availableToBook":false}}