The Empress Tiruwork hairpin, preserved in its original velvet-lined presentation box, represents a rare surviving example of 19th-century Ethiopian Imperial craftsmanship. The piece was taken during the 1868 British Expedition to Magdala and is historically linked to James Sinclair, Surgeon General of the British 33rd Regiment. Archival sources indicate Sinclair may have been present during Empress Tiruwork’s final days as she traveled with her son, Prince Alemayehu, following the Emperor’s death.
After remaining in private collections for more than 150 years, the hairpin resurfaced at auction in Rome, where it was identified and secured by the RET. Its planned repatriation in early 2026 restores an important piece of Ethiopia’s cultural record and contributes to broader scholarship surrounding the Magdala Expedition, the Imperial court of the mid-19th century, and the displacement of Ethiopian treasures during that period.
Photo Credit Bertolami Fine ArtThrough donor support, the Trust has been able to secure and restore important cultural treasures, such as the Magdala Shield, obtained earlier this year.
Photo Credit Royal Ethiopian Trust
“This repatriation demonstrates what can be accomplished when we choose to build bridges,” said HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie. “Through collaboration grounded in trust and mutual respect, we can continue to ensure that significant Ethiopian cultural treasures are accessible for all Ethiopians—and for the world—to study, appreciate, and learn from.
“I also want to extend my deep gratitude to Professor Ramon Weiss and the Weiss family for their extraordinary generosity in donating to Ethiopia a dozen cultural artifacts that had been gifted to and collected by the family,” Prince Ermias added. “It’s a joy to see so many different groups come together to celebrate important artifacts and ensure they can be enjoyed respectfully and by as many people as possible.”
The RET is a non-profit organization established by His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, grandson of Emperor Haile-Selassie I, to preserve and promote the cultural, educational, and economic well-being of all Ethiopian people.
The hairpin is mentioned in Andrew Heavens’ The Prince and the Plunder.
