ABSTRACT
Among the benefits of conquest are its trophies, physical emblems of the far-flung territorial acquisition to be enjoyed by the warmth of the domestic hearth. In the aftermath of empire, retired colonial servants can sit by the fire, telling grandchildren of former “glories” and intriguing them with the exotic spoils. I remember being transfixed by the tiger-skin rug in my grandmother's hall, complete with stuffed head, and the tall tales of how it was shot. The elephant's-foot waste-paper basket and the silver-capped antelope hoof were among the most evocative of many other such trophies. But the aides-mémoire ran deeper and wider than I fully appreciated. The crafts of a whole continent were on display, from Chinese porcelain and ivory chess sets to hand-carved Javanese chairs and ivory-inlaid mahogany tables from India. Like a museum, much of it was locked behind glass and forbidden to the exploring touch of childish fingers. Little did I realize then that much of it would have felt such a touch in the making.
