{"product_id":"akan-tortoise-goldweight-lost-wax-cast-brass-ghana-late-19th-mid-20th-century-1","title":"Akan Tortoise Goldweight, Lost-Wax Cast Copper Alloy, Ghana, Late 19th–Mid-20th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn Akan figurative goldweight in the form of a tortoise, attributed to Ghana. Brass and other copper-alloy weights were used to measure gold dust in the Akan trading system. The compact form and patterned shell make the animal legible at miniature scale. Tortoise-form examples are documented in the British Museum collection. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.britishmuseum.org\/collection\/object\/E_Af1922-1027-443?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"\u003ewww.britishmuseum.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe weight was made by the lost-wax casting method and retains an aged surface with visible wear. Its exact casting date is undocumented; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003elate 19th–mid-20th century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a cautious stylistic attribution. Its long association with the Egon Guenther Collection gives it a useful family provenance for collectors of Akan metalwork.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSKU : EG AGE 10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCirca:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Late 19th–mid-20th century, attributed\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Egon Guenther Collection, South Africa; inherited by Thomas Guenther in 2007; Thomas Guenther Collection, Netherlands\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeasurements:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 3.58 × 2.4 × 1.3 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 22 g\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e","brand":"Esteemed Antiques","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55130804191573,"sku":"EG AGW 10","price":130.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1008\/2353\/1861\/files\/akan-tortoise-goldweight-patterned-shell-ghana-afab-42ee-87a0-2e9a2bc2dab4.png?v=1790613347","url":"https:\/\/esteemedantiques.com\/products\/akan-tortoise-goldweight-lost-wax-cast-brass-ghana-late-19th-mid-20th-century-1","provider":"Esteemed Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}