Cabinet of Curiosities Burgdorf and the world

1	Display figure, Germany and New Guinea, early 20th century; probably acquired in the 1920s by Arnold Kordt in Germany. Ear jewellery made of tortoise shell; Papua New Guinea, Oceania; gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel, necklace made of boar tusks, snail shells, pieces of plants and plant fibre; Papua New Guinea, Oceania; provenance unclear; two bracelets made of braided rotan; Papua New Guinea, Oceania; Gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel Berlin 1929; loincloth made of bark bast (tapa), does not belong to Kubai’s original clothing, leg ornaments made of snail shells and plant fibre; Papua New Guinea, Oceania; provenance unknown, ES-12270, ES-20395, ES-22706, ES-4063, ES-4357, ES-4359, ES-4370, ES-4380 Kubai, a “typical” Papua man This character is modelled on a real person. Kubai lived towards the end of the 19th. century in the village of Bogadjim on the island of Papua New Guinea. Kubai was highly regarded in his village and befriended Bernhard Hagen, the doctor of the German colonies, who wanted to take a picture of him. In the picture, Kubai is in his best clothes and wore his most sumptuous jewellery. Hagen published the photo in 1899 in his book «Unter den Papua’s» (“The Life with the Papua’s”). At the beginning of the 20th. century, museums tried to present a realistic view of past or distant places using models and staging. Kubai’s photo unwittingly became the model for the “figure of a Papua man” made of plaster and papier-mâché by the Hamburg-based company Umlauff and sold to museums until the 1930s. The name and origin of Kubai is no longer of interest, he is only a “typical” representative of Papua New Guinea. Museums exhibit differently today; the focus is on stories. Stories like mine: “Me, Kubai, respected personality from Bogadjim”.
2	German school mural depicting a trading post in Cameroon / West Africa, in use in Burgdorf school, 20th century, Dresden, same publication as RS-23.248
3	Tin of the company Schürch & Cie. Burgdorf for coffee essence (sugar essence as coffee surrogate), undetermined dating, Bern, RS-28.35
4	Chocolate from fairafric – a German-Ghanaian social business that processes raw materials locally and thus increases value creation in Africa, without Inv.No.
5	Carrier bag Tobler Schokolade from Bern, 20th century, without inv.no.
6	Pack of cigars / cheroots “Burgdorfer Havana”, undetermined date, Burgdorf, RS-0.48
7	Metal cigarette box, mark “Zuban N°9”, Munich, 20th century, without inv.no.
8	Indiana LUXE” cigar box from the Hediger & Cie AG cigar factory in Reinach, undetermined date, origin unknown, RS-0.6617
9	Matchbox of the KOLONIAL E.G. BURGDORF (Einkaufsgenossenschaft der Kolonialwarengeschäfte), 20th century, origin unknown, RS-39.50
9	Wooden matchbox, mark “COLGRO” (Colonialwaren-Grossisten), undetermined date, origin unknown, RS-0.6665
10	Advertising puzzle of the company “Bernina” sewing machines: Girl in traditional costume with Swiss flag, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-29.265
11	Metal cigarette box, mark “Turmac vert”, undetermined date, origin unknown, RS-0.6621
12	Oromo Fairtrade coffee made from Ethiopian organic Arabica beans roasted in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Claro opened the first world shop in Switzerland in 1974. , without inv.no.
13	Chocolate box for Napolitains by Lindt, subject “Weekend”, c. 1930s, Burgdorf, RS-28.19
14	Round cardboard box by Wander for “Ovomaltine”, 1998, Burgdorf, RS-31.120
15	Ovaltine box with a reprint of an old label, 1970s, Burgdorf, RS-20.257
16	Ovaltine tin with label from the 1980s, 1982, Burgdorf, RS-23.327
17	Metal can for green coffee of the Colonial EG Burgdorf, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-18.480
18	Kambly company wooden box for liqueur sweets with rum, around 1940, Altdorf, RS-30.389
19	Cailler tin for “Cacao”, undetermined date, Bern, RS-28.115
20	Tin can from the Maggi company in Kempttal for “Maggis Bouillonwürfel”, probably 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-32.360
21	Tin of the company Maggi Kempttal for “Potages Maggi”, undetermined date, Bern, RS-28.239
22	Copper ingots 1 kg. Copper mining in emerging countries is considered particularly dirty, toxic and dangerous. Copper is a good conductor of heat and electricity and is therefore used in many ways in industrialised countries, without Inv.No.
23	Suchard tin can for soluble “Cacao”, around 1900, Wynigen, RS-31.67
24	Electronic waste: 50 to 80% of electronic waste from industrialised countries is exported to Asia and Africa, where it is processed with the simplest means (fire, hammer and tongs, acid bath, etc.) and great stress on people and the environment.
25	Cardboard box for banana transport. Chiquita Brands International, founded in 1899 as the United Fruit Company, is one of the largest banana exporters in the world with headquarters in Etoy, Switzerland.
26	Fox (taxidermy)
27	Bernese Tschöplitracht: the “Tschöpli” is a black embroidered silk smock. Black silk jacket and lace scarf, black silk apron with red flowers, göller made of black velvet, goffered Mänteli (white breast part), white stockings, traditional shoes made of black leather with silver buckles, rosettes made of silver wire (filigree work), silver chain and bracelet as well as silk bags and crocheted traditional gloves, which were worn for the Bernese costume. With straw hat of a woman’s costume from the Oberhasli region (1st half of the 19th century, RS-12.244.a), undetermined date, Zurich, RS-12.1263
28	Chüejermutz costume of a dairyman. With leather alpine dairyman’s cap with Bernese coat of arms. Attached are 17 badges from Schwingfesten (20th century, RS-25.381) Shirt and shoes without inv.no., undetermined date, Lyss, RS-28.193
29	Globe in wooden stand, undetermined date, origin unknown, RS-11.3082.b
30	Conquistador mask; Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-20845
31	Mask, probably depicting a conquistador; Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America; gift of Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-20823
32	Conquistador mask; Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-20818
33	Conquistador mask; Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-20846
34	Conquistador mask; Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-20795
35	Depiction of the foreigner at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century: four lithographs “Type heads, worldwide, Asia/ Africa/ America/ Polynesia/ Australia”; presumably Germany; provenance unclear, ES-o.Nr._303-306
36	Cardinal (taxidermy)

This information has been machine translated. In case of doubt, the German version is valid. We apologise for any errors and are grateful for your feedback.

Legend of inventory numbers:
ES = Burgdorf Ethnological Collection
HGM = Swiss Gold Room Collection
RS = Historical Collection of the Knights’ Hall Association
SIO = Im Obersteg Collection (belongs to ES)