Colony and protectorate · 1896–1960
The things of every day: spoons and bowls, mortars, knives and axes, bags and canes, toys and games.
Many were made by colonial officials, missionaries and foreign visitors. Titles and descriptions come from the collections that hold them and can carry the attitudes and language of their time. We show them as historical records, not as endorsements. Dates, eras and categories were assigned automatically from those records and some will be wrong. If you or your family appear in a picture, you hold rights to one, a detail is wrong, or you think a picture should not be here, press “Report this picture” under it: your note reaches our editors with the picture attached, and they can take it down straight away. You can also write to hello@dt-ets.com.
A side street in Bonthe, Sherbro, with a fruit stall, 1901 1901
Original title: A side street scene at Bonthe, Sherbro. In the little shed to the right is a fruit stall
T. J. Alldridge · Public domain · Internet Archive · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Kinta, a Kuranko town built among boulders, Balia, 1901 1901
Original title: Town of Kinta, Balia, Kuranko country, showing the boulder-covered ground
T. J. Alldridge · Public domain · Internet Archive · Source ↗ · Report this picture
The town of Mabile on the Rokel River, 1910 1910
Original title: The town of Mabile on the Rokel River
T. J. Alldridge · Public domain · Internet Archive · Source ↗ · Report this picture
A boy with a toy, by a house, Mende country, 1930–31 1930
Original title: Hut, leker, village
Bolinder, Gustaf Wilhelm · Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
A young woman with her washing bowl (Lisk-Carew postcard) 1930
A young woman in a printed gown and head-tie holds a bowl, with what looks like a chewing stick for cleaning the teeth across it. The card's printed caption, "Country girl at toilet", is the studio's own: "toilet" then meant washing and dressing, and "country" was Freetown's word for people from the Protectorate. Made by the Lisk-Carew Brothers, Freetown's own studio, and sold as a postcard; collected on Gustaf Bolinder's 1930–31 journey. Her name was not recorded. If you know who she was, tell us.
Lisk-Carew, Alphonso · Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Wooden spoon with a burnt-in pattern, Sierra Leone peninsula Collected by 1931
Original title: Spoon
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Flat wooden serving spoon, Sierra Leone peninsula Collected by 1931
Original title: Spoon
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Chewing stick for cleaning the teeth, Sierra Leone peninsula Collected by 1931
Original title: Tandborste
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Plaited plate with a small handle, Mende Collected by 1931
Original title: Tallrik
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Plaited plate with a rayed pattern, Mende Collected by 1931
Original title: Tallrik
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Small plaited bast bag with a lid, Mende, collected 1931 Collected by 1931
Original title: Bag, bolsa
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Wooden mortar on a foot, Mende Collected by 1931
Original title: Mortar
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Wooden bowl with a lid, richly burnt with patterns, Mende Collected by 1931
Original title: Vessel
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Axe with a wooden handle, Mende Collected by 1931
Original title: Yxa
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Kissi stool with a narrow seat Collected by 1931
Original title: Stol
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Chewing stick for cleaning the teeth Collected 1930–31
Original title: Tandborste, borste, tooth brush
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Walking stick of coffee wood Collected 1930–31
Original title: Cane
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Tool Collected 1930–31
Original title: Verktyg, tool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Striped bag of woven bast with three buttons, collected 1931 Collected 1930–31
Original title: Bag
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Knotted fibre bag hidden under a fringed lid Collected 1930–31
Original title: Bag
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Stool of stacked wooden ribs with a plaited seat Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Stool of stacked wooden ribs, well used Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Model of a stool Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Axe with a rough wooden handle Collected 1930–31
Original title: Yxa, axe
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Axe with a new handle Collected 1930–31
Original title: Yxa, axe
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Old axe with a dark, worn handle Collected 1930–31
Original title: Yxa, axe
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Kissi travelling stool painted black and yellow Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Kissi travelling stool with a burnt feather pattern Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Stool in two parts, Kissi Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Stool Collected 1930–31
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Kissi stool on four legs Collected 1930–31
Original title: Stool
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Knife Collected 1930–31
Original title: Knife
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Knife with three stripes on the handle Collected 1930–31
Original title: Knife
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Flat bast bag with a lid, carried only by men, collected 1931 Collected 1930–31
Original title: Bag
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Bag Collected 1930–31
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Cane Collected 1930–31
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Walking stick with a plaited grip, Vai Collected 1930–31
Original title: Cane
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Toy, sling Collected 1930–31
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Wooden doll without arms Collected 1930–31
Original title: Doll, toy
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Jumping animal toy of sticks and leaves Collected 1930–31
Original title: Djur, leksak, animal
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture
Toy of five sticks bound together Collected 1930–31
Original title: Toy, glasses
Public domain (CC0) · Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm · Source ↗ · Report this picture