{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O116888"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O116888/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK4404/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK4404/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BK4404","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BK4403","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV7949","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O116888","accessionNumber":"M.102-1922","objectType":"Sword","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Swords with wooden pommels decorated with beaten gold have featured in Asante court regalia since the 17th century. Their use appears to be ceremonial; no record exists of their use in warfare, and they lack a cutting edge.\r\n\r\nThe Museum's accessions register records that this sword was 'presented to Colonel Edward Sladen by Yaw Boaki, King of Bekwai, Ashanti, in 1901'. It includes an original handwritten letter from Yaw Boaki to 'The Officer Commanding' (dated 2 February 1901) in which he explains that the sword was sent 'as a present per the bearers' in exchange for them being given permission to 'reach coast as to purchase me some foods'.\r\n\r\nA series of conflicts between the British, who had replaced other Europeans at the coast, and the Asante led an eventual Asante defeat in 1900 and the region's annexation by Britain as the Gold Coast colony. Renamed Ghana, the colony became the first independent post-colonial African state in 1957.","physicalDescription":"Single edged sword blade with a flat back and slightly concave cutting edge, decorated with incised geometric and floral decoration comprising scrolling stems and rows of dots, dashes and small curved lines. The hilt has a globular dumbbell-shaped wooden guard and pommel carved with geometric designs covered with thick gold leaf fastened with gold pins","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel with incised decoration and carved wood covered with gold leaf","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Black History","id":"THES48989"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Africa","id":"THES49019"}],"styles":[{"text":"Asante","id":"AAT16004"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2006BK4404","2006BK4403","2017JV7949"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES412378"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sword","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Ghana","id":"x30041"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1900","earliest":"1895-01-01","latest":"1904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs G. H. G. Sladen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"24.7","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Taken from Register","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Presented to Colonel Sir Edward Sladen by Yaw Boaki, King of Bekwai, Ashanti, in 1901. Received by the V&A from Mrs.G.H.G. Sladen, widow of Colonel E. Sydney S. Barbe Sladen, Tunbridge Wells.\r\n\r\nThe accessions register includes an original handwritten letter, dated 2 February 1901, from Yaw Boaki and addressed to ‘The Officer Commanding’. Also marked, on the envelope 'For express Bearers'. It reads: 'My Good Friend! / I herewith send you one Gold sword as a present per the bearers. As for the seat in question I failed to have got you some. I presume so much that the above sword will frankly please you. / you may at the same time allow the bearers to reach coast as to purchase me some foods as accredited note per same./ I also hope that this letter will reach to you in a prosperous state of health as am enjoying same. / I am / Your Good Friend / Yaw Boaki / King of Bekwai.'\r\nDisplayed in \"V and A Africa: Exploring Hidden Histories\"\r\n15th November 2012- 3rd February 2013","historicalContext":"A series of conflicts between the British, who had replaced other Europeans at the coast, and the Asante led to the eventual defeat of the Asante in 1900 and its annexation as part of Britain's Gold Coast colony. Renamed Ghana, the Gold Coast colony became the first independent post-colonial African state in 1957.","briefDescription":"Flat backed single edged sword, decorated with incised geometric and floral decoration. The hilt has a globular guard and pommel carved with geometric designs covered with gold leaf. Asante, Ghana, ca.1900","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"scrolling foliage","id":"AAT165387"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Sword\r\nAsante people, Ghana\r\nAbout 1900\r\n\r\nSwords have featured in Asante court regalia since the 17th century. They appear to be ceremonial: no record exists of their use in warfare, and they lack a cutting edge. In 1901 the King of Bekwai, Yaw Boaki, sent this sword to Colonel Edward Sladen along with this note. \r\n\r\nSteel, wood and gold leaf\r\n\r\nMuseum no. M.102-1922\r\nGiven by Mrs G.H.G. Sladen\r\n\r\nThe Officer Commanding \t\t[original punctuation and capitalisation used]\r\n\r\nMy Good Friend!\r\nI herewith send you one Gold sword as a present per the bearers. As for the seat in question I failed to have got you some. I presume so much that the above sword will frankly please you. \r\nyou may at the same time allow the bearers to reach coast as to purchase me some foods as accredited note per same.\r\nI also hope that this letter will reach to you in a prosperous state of health as am enjoying same. \r\nI am\r\nYour Good Friend\r\nYaw Boaki\r\nKing of Bekwai","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["M.102-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"102","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-01","recordCreationDate":"2005-09-21","availableToBook":true}}