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Benin brasses

Africa tradition · 5 examples · indicative market tier: $1M+ (trophy / museum grade)

The Benin Bronzes are a group of several thousand metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in what is now Edo State, Nigeria. The metal plaques were produced by the Guild of Benin Bronze Casters, now located in Igun Street, also known as Igun-Eronmwon Quarters. Collectively, the objects form the best examples of Benin art and were created from the fourteenth century by artists of the Edo people. Wikipedia →

Types & examples

Plaque
Plaque, 1500s–1600s
Cleveland Museum of Art
Plaque
Plaque, 1500s–1600s
Cleveland Museum of Art
Ancestral Commemorative Head (uhunmwun-elao)
Ancestral Commemorative Head (uhunmwun-elao), possibly mid-1500s or early 1600s
Cleveland Museum of Art
Hen
Hen, 1900s
Cleveland Museum of Art
Eroro
Eroro, 19th century
The Met

Where to buy

1stDibsHigh-end antiques & design marketplaceBrowse listings → LiveAuctioneersAggregated live auctions worldwideBrowse listings → InvaluableAuction-house listings & price archiveBrowse listings → Christie'sMajor-auction results & upcoming salesBrowse listings → EtsyLiving artisans & vintage dealersBrowse listings → eBayBroad secondary market — vet sellers carefullyBrowse listings →

Each link opens a live, image-rich search for this craft on that marketplace. Listings rotate constantly; authenticate significant pieces independently — attribution quality varies widely outside museum collections.