Bowl
1867 (mounted), ca. 1650 (made), c. 1700-1750 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This rock crystal bowl was probably made in the Mughal court workshops between about 1700 and 1750. When it came to England, the jewelled mount was added to the foot. It is inscribed on the bottom "Robert Phillips fecit London 1867" (made by Robert Phillips London 1867). He was a jeweller with premises in Cockspur Street, and exhibited the bowl at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle where it won a gold medal. Before that it seems to have been exhibited by Colonel Charles Seton Guthrie (1808-1874) with the rest of his famous collection of Mughal hardstones at the London International Exhibition in 1862. Some of the collection was sold to the Indian Museum and subsequently came to the South Kensington Museum in 1879. Other pieces, including this one, remained with him until his death and were sold at auction in 1875. This piece was bought by Mr Alfred Simson who lent it to the museum with the rest of his small collection of Mughal rock crystal artefacts in 1913 and 1919. His son, Captain Rupert Simson, sold it to the V&A in 1920 in accordance with his father's wishes that stated the price should be what he had originally paid for them.
The jewelled mount is enamelled and set with minute diamonds, agates, rubies and lapis lazuli and is one of two examples in the V&A of Mughal rock crystal bowls with a Phillips addition (the other is IM.634-1875).
The jewelled mount is enamelled and set with minute diamonds, agates, rubies and lapis lazuli and is one of two examples in the V&A of Mughal rock crystal bowls with a Phillips addition (the other is IM.634-1875).
Object details
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Rock crystal, mounted in enamelled gold set with diamonds, lapis lazuli, agates and rubies |
Brief description | Bowl, rock crystal, Mughal, c. 1700 century with English gold enamelled and jewelled mount dated 1867 |
Physical description | The circular bowl with slightly flaring rim rests on a low splayed ring foot in the shape of a flower, and has two handles in the form of buds on tendrils. The rock crystal is exceptionally clear. The enamelled gold mount forming a new footring was added by Robert Phillips in London in 1867 and is set with diamonds, lapis lazuli, agates and rubies. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | 'Robert Phillips fecit London 1867'
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Credit line | Purchased from Captain Rupert Simson on behalf of the Public Trustee, the sole executor and trustee of his father's estate |
Object history | According to the Nominal File, the bowl came from the collection of Colonel Guthrie and was exhibited with his collection at the London International Exhibition of 1862. In 1867 it was exhibited by Robert Phillips of Cockspur Street, London, at the Paris Exposition Universelle, where it won a gold medal. Guthrie's collection was sold at auction in 1875, the year after his death, and the bowl was probably lot 202 in the sale. The V&A bought it in 1920 with other rock crystal Mughal objects from a Captain Simson. Purchased from Captain Rupert Simson on behalf of the Public Trustee, the sole executor and trustee of his father's estate. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. R.P. 1920-7630 and R.P.1920-7006 |
Summary | This rock crystal bowl was probably made in the Mughal court workshops between about 1700 and 1750. When it came to England, the jewelled mount was added to the foot. It is inscribed on the bottom "Robert Phillips fecit London 1867" (made by Robert Phillips London 1867). He was a jeweller with premises in Cockspur Street, and exhibited the bowl at the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle where it won a gold medal. Before that it seems to have been exhibited by Colonel Charles Seton Guthrie (1808-1874) with the rest of his famous collection of Mughal hardstones at the London International Exhibition in 1862. Some of the collection was sold to the Indian Museum and subsequently came to the South Kensington Museum in 1879. Other pieces, including this one, remained with him until his death and were sold at auction in 1875. This piece was bought by Mr Alfred Simson who lent it to the museum with the rest of his small collection of Mughal rock crystal artefacts in 1913 and 1919. His son, Captain Rupert Simson, sold it to the V&A in 1920 in accordance with his father's wishes that stated the price should be what he had originally paid for them. The jewelled mount is enamelled and set with minute diamonds, agates, rubies and lapis lazuli and is one of two examples in the V&A of Mughal rock crystal bowls with a Phillips addition (the other is IM.634-1875). |
Bibliographic reference | Susan Stronge, "Colonel Guthrie's Collection", Oriental Art Winter 1993/94, vol. xxxix No. 4, pp.4-13 (illus. fig. 12) |
Collection | |
Accession number | IM.328-1920 |
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Record created | January 27, 2006 |
Record URL |
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