abrammuo (gold weight) (18th–19th century)
Akan Artist
Brass
1 1/2 x 1 1/4 x 1 in.

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Private Collection. Photo: Vincent Girier Dufournier

This object is on view in SIGHTLINES on Peace, Power & Prestige: Metal Arts of Africa in the BGC Gallery from September 29–December 31, 2023.

Brass mrammuo (gold weights, plural form of abrammuo), used by Akan peoples to measure gold dust, often took forms that served storytelling traditions. Their designs integrated materials and iconography associated with historical events, including colonialism and mineral extraction. This tiny gold weight, from the period of British colonization of what is now Ghana, resembles a folding chair used by settlers, right down to the chair’s characteristic brass tacks. Imbued with such resonances, this metalwork tells a story that was passed on through generations.