A magnificent fine quality Ethiopian shield of royal quality. This shield was presented to the then Governor of British Somaliland Harold Baxter Kittermaster in 1927 by Haile Selassie I, the Emperor of Ethiopia, or Taffari Makonnen as he was then King and heir to the throne. The shield covered with purple velvet, normally reserved for the Imperial family or Ras, elaborately decorated with gilt-silver bands and ornament set with mulitple stones and pastes. The reverse leather covered and retaining various straps and including an old label with the inked text " Gift of his Imperial Highness Haile Selassie I, Addis Abbaba 1927", the reverse reading " Sword, 2 spears and shield of Abyssinian Ras". More provenance details provided to buyer. Sold seperately or together with the sword also with the same provenance. The additional photograph portraits show Harold Kittermaster in 1927, and Haile Selassie in early 1928, the same period of this presentation. african
