Rare retailer Lead Manilla Proto Currency Pair Slave Bracelets from Nigeria 19th. C.

Absolutely authentic 18/19th.C. pair of lead slave bracelets over 100 years old very rare form! These are very heavy bracelets with interior measurement approximately 2 1/4 inches, but the gap may not fit larger wrists. This is as received, no cleaning has been done. Manillas are a form of commodity money, usually made of bronze or copper, which were used in West Africa. They were produced in large numbers in a wide range of designs, sizes, and weights. Originating before the colonial period, perhaps as the result of trade with the Portuguese Empire, Manillas continued to serve as money and decorative objects until the late 1940s and are still sometimes used as decoration. In popular culture, they are particularly associated with the Atlantic slave trade. The name manilla is said to derive from the Spanish for a 'bracelet' manilla, the Portuguese for 'hand-ring' manilha, or after the Latin manus (hand) or from monilia, plural of 'monile (necklace). They are usually horseshoe-shaped, with terminations that face each other and are roughly lozenge-shaped. The earliest use of manillas was in West Africa. As a means of exchange they originated in Calabar. Calabar was the chief city of the ancient southeast Nigerian coastal kingdom of that name. It was retailer here in 1505 that a slave could be bought for 8–10 manillas, and an elephant's tooth for one copper manila. Manillas bear some resemblance to torcs or torques in being rigid and circular and open-ended at the front. These bracelets originated in Nigeria, likely Yoruba, with stylized snake head finials. Africans of each region had names for each variety of manilla, probably varying locally. They valued them differently, and were very particular about the types they would accept. Manillas were partly differentiated and valued by the sound they made when struck. A report by the British Consul of Fernando Po in 1856 listed five different patterns of manillas in use in Nigeria. The Antony Manilla was good in all interior markets; the Congo Simgolo or 'bottle-necked' was good only at Opungo market; the Onadoo was best for Old Calabar, Igbo country between Bonny New Kalabari and the kingdom of Okrika; the Finniman Fawfinna was passable in Juju Town and Qua Market, but only half the worth of the Antony; and the Cutta Antony was valued by the people at Umballa. The proliferation of African names is probably due more to regional customs than actual manufacturing specialization. The 'Mkporo' is likely a Dutch or British manilla and the 'Popo' is French, but the rest are examples of a single evolving Birmingham product. The Native Currency Proclamation of 1902 in Nigeria prohibited the import of manillas except with the permission of the High Commissioner. This was done to encourage the use of coined money. They were still in regular use however and constituted an administrative problem in the late 1940s. The Ibo tribe still used them prior to this and at Wukai a deep bowl of corn was considered equal to one large manilla and a cup-shaped receptacle filled with salt was worth one small manilla. Although manillas were legal tender, they floated against British and French West African currencies and the palm-oil trading companies manipulated their value to advantage during the market season. A wonderful affordable piece of wearable history!!!! You will receive the piece shown here with a Certificate of Authenticity and lifetime money back guarantee. One low price for both pieces.
These bracelets can be jewelry or artifact, your choice!!! Due to the heaviness of these 2 manilla it will be sent Priority Mail. As with all my artifacts this will come with a Certificate of Authenticity and lifetime money-back guarantee.