African 1800's Heavy Brass Slave Bracelet - Niger - Tuareg

Description

I'm offering a 19th century Tuareg slave bracelet from Niger.  These heavy bracelets would be placed on the wrist of a slave to both identify the wearer as a slave and, upon inspection, identify the master by the markings on the cuff.  Once the bracelet was placed around the wrist, a metal pin would be driven into the hole and then sheared off, thereby locking the bracelet on the slave.  The bracelets were made by metalsmiths, who were themselves members of the slave caste.
Slavery was "abolished" in Niger in 1960 when the country became independent of France.  Slavery became "illegal" in Niger in 1999, and became criminalized in 2003.  Forms of slavery still very much exist to this day.
Sales only within the continental United States, please.  Sorry!