Jewellery, gold gems, enamelled, Jaipur, late C19

Gold pendant in form of a crescent and floret set with diamonds, rubies and 8 natural pearls as pendants. European gold chain.

Given by Mrs Jean Buchanan Scott

Memo from the donor, Mrs Jean Buchanan Scott, on File MA/1/B3222 and dated 19 January 1976:
Pearl Necklace.
This Indian pear-shaped pearl necklace has I believe been in the possession of the Metcalfe family (who were nearly all in the Indian Civil Service) for about 100 years, and has been handed down.
It was left to my mother-in-law, the late Lady Scott, who was formerly Ethel Theophila Metcalfe, the sister of Sir Theophilus Metcalfe, the 7th baronet. She married Colonel Sir Buchanan Scott, K.C.I.E., R.E., and left the necklace to her son, my late husband, Major Ivor Buchanan-Scott, O.B.E. (Mil.), R.F.C., R.A., who in turn left it to me.
As the Metcalfe family baronetcy seems likely to become extinct, it occurred to me that the Victoria & Albert Museum might like to have it. I believe the necklace is not more than about 100 years old, though its history is vague.

I have been told that the necklace at one time belonged to the Great Mogul, and that during a siege (I believe at Delhi) the necklace was hidden, and was one of the few pieces which were not stolen and which were found after the siege.
It was valued by Harvey & Gore, the jewllers, some sixteen or seventeen years ago at £800'.

It is conceivable that this was once owned by Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, the 5th Baronet, who was in Delhi in 1857 and played a notorious role in the recapture of the city by the British after the uprising.

'

TIt

This jewel, made somewhere within the Mughal empire, is made of gold, set on the front with cleaved (flat) diamonds and rubies. The back is enamelled in a style common throughout all the regions of the Indian subcontinent influenced by the imperial style of the 17th century. Because of this, it is impossible to identify exactly where it may have been made. The form was worn by women and it would originally have been attached to the hair by a string of seed pearls so that it rested on the forehead. A later owner has added a gold chain of European manufacture. A similar pendant may be seen in an illustration of jewellery for women (IS.24-1980: 48) painted by an Indian artist in about 1774 for Colonel Jean-Baptiste Gentil in Faizabad, suggesting that this example probably dates to the last quarter of the 18th century. It could conceivably have been made in Faizabad or Lucknow.

IS.1-1976