Goldweight [Nut] 19th-20th century

Editor: Here we have an Akan goldweight, resembling a nut. It dates to the 19th or 20th century and is made from brass, with some parts maybe being earthenware. It is really small! What’s fascinating is the concept of using an everyday item, like a nut, in such a functional and valuable context. How would you interpret this work in terms of its historical use and meaning? Curator: That's a perceptive observation. As a historian, I see this "Goldweight [Nut]" as less about the nut itself, and more about the system it represents. These weights weren't simply tools for trade; they were deeply embedded in Akan social and political life. Each weight authenticated a transaction and reflected concepts of value. Editor: So, it's less about the individual object, and more about its social function? Curator: Precisely! What interests me is the tension between the "official" and the "unofficial" here. Consider that these objects served to authorize commerce, yet each object could become highly individualistic based on artistic interpretation or based on materials locally at hand, or perhaps incorporated found objects.. Why, in your opinion, do societies develop these sorts of traditions surrounding measurement and value? Editor: Hmm, I suppose these measures were made, to create standards but also to visually create accountability for all transactions made with precious metals. Curator: I completely agree. Each of these small forms carry such huge societal significance. The “Goldweight [Nut]” offers an insight into Akan culture and the role that art objects played within those intricate systems of economy, status, and trust. It becomes an art form not by display but rather in the transaction itself. Editor: That's a new way of considering value in art and commerce, thank you for highlighting that aspect.