This is an interesting and enigmatic item, thanks for posting. Was there any provenance to the piece ?
From the images, I am doubtful the cuirass was made in Africa, taking into account the style, method of construction and materials used. Although there is a possibility it was used in Africa. The brass/copper studs have a distinctive and recognizable pattern and are surely European made. The two flat round metal studs with remains of lead covering, the one one the left... is there a number "5" showing ? are they coins ? "
My feeling is there are two possibilities of origin :-
1. Its an early movie prop of the "Sword and Sandals" or "Peplum" genre. These in fact date quite far back to pre WW1 days and cuirasses in the style were popular. This is before the days of plastics, fibre-glass etc. I had a quick look at "Scipio Africanus : The Defeat of Hannibal" 1937 on YouTube. There are lots of cuirasses, although I didn't see one with crocodile hide.
2. Its a an object made up in Europe as a gift to a West African chief or potentate in the 19th century or earlier (either for his use or his bodyguards). Either a genuine breastplate or a Victorian reproduction could have been used and the croc hide covering would be deemed an appropriate touch. The crocodile being an important symbol in West Africa. Giving showy and gaudy items (such as uniforms, swords etc) to African rulers was common at the time, to facilitate the ivory and slave trade. Ridiculous as it may seem there is precedent ... when the Polynesian Omai was returned to Tahiti in the late 18th century by Captain Cook, one of the gifts he was provided with was a suit of armour !
The wet climate of coastal West Africa could account for the poor condition of the cuirass, which eventually found its way back to Europe as a curio.
Anyway, those are my hypotheses such as they are.
|