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Whip, D65.1052

Physical Description

Leather whip. Relatively long hard round handle tapering to and attached to an approximately equal length of flexible tapering round braided leather whip. Dyed red leather predominates. The handle is a round cylinder topped at one end with a flared conical 'knob'. The surface is of smooth dark red leather with two edges pulled tightly together and sewn with a light coloured twisted fibre (plant?) along the length of the shaft. The knob is topped with a knotted leather strap. A portion of the leather on the knob has worn away exposing a dark/black surface. This exposed area appears to be either some kind of stiffened cloth or the imprint of woven cloth on perhaps a mud surface. The core of the handle, i.e. the substance under the whole of the handle is not clearly exposed at any other location. It can be suggested that this core might be a combination of a wooden handle (?) with baked/hardened clay at various points, e.g. the top end of the whip handle. The general appearance of the handle is of two cylinders of roughly equal length interrupted by a somewhat shortened cylinder joining the two lengths. The ends of the handles proximate to the shortened centre piece are each decorated with wrappings of narrow strips of light coloured plant fibres. These wrappings are actually sewn into and out of the leather in concentric rings (12 on one portion and 13 on the other) running the full circumference of the handle. While the general appearance of most of the whip including the handled pieces, is of a shiny worn red worn leather this shortened centre cylinder gives the appearance of a dull, somewhat roughened surface - almost as if it has been a rough repair(?). The end of the handle (opposite the knobbed end) tapers to a short wrapping of leather under which a well braided tapering flexible length of whip is attached (to the handle). The tapered tip of the braided whip is unwoven/unravelled. A worn patch on the knob is proximate to a white stain (paint?). The general appearance of the item is of a well made, rather well used whip, still in fairly good condition.

Research Notes

" African Collection File", by Sarah Brodie says "Sierra Leone" "Jas Rob. (?) NEV…" Guinea".

Leather & plant material.

Whip. Possibly a riding crop or a whip carried by cattle herders.
Leather whip. Relatively long hard round handle tapering to and attached to an approximately equal length of flexible tapering round braided leather whip. Dyed red leather predominates. The handle is a round cylinder topped at one end with a flared conical 'knob'. The surface is of smooth dark red leather with two edges pulled tightly together and sewn with a light coloured twisted fibre (plant?) along the length of the shaft. The knob is topped with a knotted leather strap. A portion of the leather on the knob has worn away exposing a dark/black surface. This exposed area appears to be either some kind of stiffened cloth or the imprint of woven cloth on perhaps a mud surface. The core of the handle, i.e. the substance under the whole of the handle is not clearly exposed at any other location. It can be suggested that this core might be a combination of a wooden handle (?) with baked/hardened clay at various points, e.g. the top end of the whip handle. The general appearance of the handle is of two cylinders of roughly equal length interrupted by a somewhat shortened cylinder joining the two lengths. The ends of the handles proximate to the shortened centre piece are each decorated with wrappings of narrow strips of light coloured plant fibres. These wrappings are actually sewn into and out of the leather in concentric rings (12 on one portion and 13 on the other) running the full circumference of the handle. While the general appearance of most of the whip including the handled pieces, is of a shiny worn red worn leather this shortened centre cylinder gives the appearance of a dull, somewhat roughened surface - almost as if it has been a rough repair(?). The end of the handle (opposite the knobbed end) tapers to a short wrapping of leather under which a well braided tapering flexible length of whip is attached (to the handle). The tapered tip of the braided whip is unwoven/unravelled. A worn patch on the knob is proximate to a white stain (paint?). The general appearance of the item is of a well made, rather well used whip, still in fairly good condition.

Full length of whip (from top end of handle to tail end of whip) = approx. 880mm. Length of handle (minus flexible braided whip end) = approx. 360mm. Diameter of handle immediately below 'knob' = 20mm. Top end of braided whip(i.e. where handle joins braided portion) Diameter = approx. 9mm. —Joel A Vanderburg

Provenance

Locality:

Measurements

Maximum dimensions (H x W x D): 880 x 34 x 35mm

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