The Collection

Objects That Outlast
Their Makers

40 years of deliberate acquisition. 13 catalogued artefacts — each a manufactured argument about craft, culture, and the material history of West Africa.

Ladi Kwali pottery collection editorial
AllLadi Kwali PotteryBenin BronzesBronze Sculptures
Largest Jar (Three Handles) — view 1
Largest Jar (Three Handles) — view 2

Artefact 2026.1.1

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Largest Jar (Three Handles)

H: 14 cm · W: 29.5 cm · Mouth ⌀: 20 cm

Among the very few Ladi Kwali pieces acquired from the workshop in the 1980s, when the woman on the 20 Naira note was still alive, when Abuja was still Suleja.

Second Largest Jar — view 1

Artefact 2026.1.2

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Second Largest Jar

H: 9.5 cm · W: 22.5 cm · Mouth ⌀: 17.5 cm

Glazed ceramic vessel from the Abuja Pottery Cooperative, bearing the distinctive Ladi Kwali mark.

Third Largest Jar — view 1
Third Largest Jar — view 2

Artefact 2026.1.3

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Third Largest Jar

H: 9 cm · W: 21 cm · Mouth ⌀: 17 cm

Incised with the word ABUJA — a record of place made when the capital was still being imagined.

Largest Bowl with Lid — view 1
Largest Bowl with Lid — view 2

Artefact 2026.1.4

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Largest Bowl with Lid

H: 4 cm · W: 38.5 cm · Depth: 4 cm · Lid ⌀: 13 cm

A broad, lidded serving bowl. The glaze catches light like gunmetal. NIGERIA inscribed on the lid.

Second Largest Bowl with Lid — view 1
Second Largest Bowl with Lid — view 2

Artefact 2026.1.5

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Second Largest Bowl with Lid

H: 5 cm · W: 34 cm · Depth: 4 cm

Compact and purposeful. The lid a near-perfect fit, sealed with decades of careful storage.

Third Largest Bowl with Lid — view 1

Artefact 2026.1.6

Ladi Kwali Pottery

Third Largest Bowl with Lid

H: 7 cm · W: 31 cm · Mouth ⌀: 25 cm · Lid ⌀: 23 cm

The deepest bowl in the pottery series. NIGERIA incised boldly around the body.

Ife FESTAC Masks — view 1
Ife FESTAC Masks — view 2

Artefact 2026.1.7

Benin Bronzes

Ife FESTAC Masks

Cast bronze. The FESTAC mask — emblem of the 1977 Festival of African Culture. A political object and an art object in equal measure.

Bronze Sculpture of a Benin King — view 1
Bronze Sculpture of a Benin King — view 2
Bronze Sculpture of a Benin King — view 3

Artefact 2026.1.8

Benin Bronzes

Bronze Sculpture of a Benin King

A standing royal figure in full regalia. Manufactured argument about craft, political authority, and the sophistication of the West African metallurgical tradition.

Bronze Sculpture of a Royal Horse — view 1

Artefact 2026.1.9

Benin Bronzes

Bronze Sculpture of a Royal Horse

A horse in full ceremonial tack. Bridle, saddle cloth, and trappings rendered with the precision of the lost-wax method.

Hausa Man Playing a Flute — view 1
Hausa Man Playing a Flute — view 2

Artefact 2026.2.0

Bronze Sculptures

Hausa Man Playing a Flute

A musician caught mid-breath. The robes etched with geometric Hausa embroidery patterns; the instrument lifts toward the air.

Woman Winnowing Grains with Baby on her Back — view 1
Woman Winnowing Grains with Baby on her Back — view 2

Artefact 2026.2.1

Bronze Sculptures

Woman Winnowing Grains with Baby on her Back

Labour and tenderness rendered in bronze. The winnowing fan raised; the child carried against the body.

Benin Plaque: Featuring Soldiers — view 1

Artefact 2026.2.2

Benin Bronzes

Benin Plaque: Featuring Soldiers

A court plaque of the type that once lined the palace of the Oba of Benin. Three warriors in formation — political authority cast in metal.

Benin Plaque: Mounted Soldier — view 1

Artefact 2026.2.3

Benin Bronzes

Benin Plaque: Mounted Soldier

A mounted soldier in high relief. The horse, rider, attendants, and weaponry captured in the moment of procession.

These are not passive acquisitions. Collecting at this level requires the same deliberate attention that competitive sport demands. You have to know what you’re looking for. You have to be willing to wait. What you’re building is not just a personal treasury: it is a record.