This collection is comprised of photographs collected by William W. Brill to document his personal collection of African art objects, which primarily contains masks, sculpted figures, and tools.

Photographs taken by members of the Basel Mission and by professional photographers. The majority of photographs were taken in the Basel Mission Faktorei (B.M.F.) in Accra and in other Basel Mission stores in Dodowa, Akure, Nsawam and Kumasi. Photographs taken by the members of the Basel Mission are of missionary life, flora and fauna, daily activities and named missionaries and their spouses. The professional images were of better quality and larger in size than the personal photographs. Among them are several images of a railroad station in Accra and a fleet of trucks belonging to the Basel Mission. Most significant among these photographs are 30 images of Asante people and of carved Asante stools. Two images were taken by F.R.C. Lutterodt, a well-known Ghanaian photographer, who had maintained studios in German Cameroon and in Ghana.

Peoples and kingdoms whose art works are shown include the Asante, Baule, Benin, Boki, Dogon, Fang (Pahouin), Ijo, Kuba, Lumbu, Mama, Mende, Mpongwe, Punu and Yoruba. Objects depicted include garments, doors, fly whisks, gold weights, headrests, jewelry, masks, musical instrument such as bells and rhythym pounders, power figures, pipes, staff finials, stools and wood sculptures of men and women.

Photographs taken by Roy Sieber. Images of African textile and the dyeing and weaving processes. Objects depicted include Asante Kente cloth, Hausa embroidered pants, Jukun tie-dye waist cloth, a Kuba hat, Yoruba indigo dye and a Zulu cloak, as well as akwete cloth from Nigeria, an appliqué dress from Cameroon, an appliqué robe from Ghana, cloth from Dahomey (now Benin) and dye pots from Ede. People portrayed include a Dogon dancer, Kajiado warriors with spears and shields, a weaver making cloth, and women dyeing cloth with indigo.

Photographs taken by Eliot Elisofon in Africa and in European and American museums and collections during his extensive travels from 1942 through 1972. African kingdoms and peoples represented include Afo, Anyi, Asante, Atie, Baga, Bamana, Baule, Bembe, Benin, Bobo, Boki, Bozo, Chamba, Chokwe, Dan, Dinka, Dogon, Ebrie, Efik, Ejagham, Hausa, Ibibio, Idoma, Ife, Igbo-Ukwu, Ijo, Jenne, Jukun, Kamba, Kissi, Kom, Kongo, Kono, kota, Kpelle, Kuba, Kuyu, Kwele, Lega, Lobi, Loma, Lozi, Luba, Lulua, Lunda, Mambila, Mende, Mossi, Nalu, Ndebele, Ngbaka, Ngoni, Nok, Nupe, Nyamwezi, Pende, Suku, Susu, Tabwa, Teke, Temne, Tetela, Tiv, Tuareg, Urhobo, Vai, Woyo, Yaka, Yoruba, and Zande.

This collection documents the Asante, Baka, Baule, Berber, Dogomba, Dogon, Fulani, Gurunsi, Gonja, Hausa, Lobi, Mamprusi, Mossi, Senufo, Serer, Tsonga, Tuareg, Wolof, and Yoruba peoples; architecture, animals, artwork, celebrations, ceremonies, landscapes, masquerades, markets, mosques, portraits, shrines, and street scenes in Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Morocco, Republic of Benin, Central African Republic, Namibia, and Senegal.

Photographs of art objects at various museums taken and assembled by Herbert Baker.

The photographs document a variety of art works created by Africans. Objects depicted include boxes, bracelets, figures, gold weights, headrests, heads, masks, pendants, stools, and trumpets. Peoples and kingdoms represented include Anyi, Asante, Bamum, Bangwa, Baule, Benin, Chokwe, Fang (Pahouin), Fon, Ife, Lega, Luba, Mende, Nok, Pende and Yoruba. Princeton University staff assembled the collection to illustrate the publications entitled, African Folktales & Sculpture, ed. by Paul Radin (New York: Pantheon Books, 1952). Photographers represented include Ina Bundy, Eliot Elisofon, Walker Evans and Man Ray.

This collection is comprised of photographic and manuscript materials, primarily created by Eliot Elisofon to document his travels and work. The images portray many aspects of African life and culture including agriculture, wildlife, archaeology, architecture, art and artisans, children, cityscapes and landscapes, leaders, markets, medicine, recreation, ritual and celebration, and transportation. The manuscript materials include correspondence, essays, clippings, puobligations, notes, research, and itineraries.