Abstract
This chapter describes Felix von Luschan's bid on some African ivories from the Kingdom of Benin. It argues that he had already made offers on a few objects during a recent visit to London, but he was still keen to get a particular ivory cup with a cover. The chapter recalls the bronze and ivory artifacts that British troops seized during a punitive expedition to the kingdom of Benin. Following Benin City's devastation, rumors circulated throughout Europe that British troops had found unique objects in the palace. It took months for Europeans to understand what, precisely, the British had seized. Soon, ivories like those Luschan had been chasing in London started trickling into Europe. What followed was one of the more bewildering and controversial stories in the history of these museums. As the chapter highlights, the Benin bronzes are completely unique in the art of Africa.
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