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Not currently on display at the V&A

Nose Ring

20th century (made)
Place of origin

A gold nose ring with a gold wire loop at the top and a crescent of decoration along its lower part. The curved arc of ornamentation is made of a broad band of filigree lattice picked out with applied rosettes of tiny granulation, threads of beaded and twisted wire and a ribbon of beaten wire with a scallopped edging above a fringe of irregular pearls which gold calyx-like cup settings and threaded onto the back with fine gold wire. The right hand side of the crescent is terminated with two further pearls which project through baluster-shaped settings. The opposite end has a small cluster of three pendant tiny irreguar seed pearls strung on gold wire beneath the fastening eye which is set on an oval base with a beaded edge. A circular red stone in a baluster beaded setting is fixed below the eye and is mirrored on the other side with a similar tear-drop shaped setting for a red glass stone. Two little leaf-shaped settings for a green and red stone are attached either side on the inside of the filigree band at the top. The loop on hte right hand side has a decorative coil of gold wire wrapped round it with a


Object details

Category
Object type
Brief description
Gold nose ring with pearls and glass from Karnataka
Physical description
A gold nose ring with a gold wire loop at the top and a crescent of decoration along its lower part. The curved arc of ornamentation is made of a broad band of filigree lattice picked out with applied rosettes of tiny granulation, threads of beaded and twisted wire and a ribbon of beaten wire with a scallopped edging above a fringe of irregular pearls which gold calyx-like cup settings and threaded onto the back with fine gold wire. The right hand side of the crescent is terminated with two further pearls which project through baluster-shaped settings. The opposite end has a small cluster of three pendant tiny irreguar seed pearls strung on gold wire beneath the fastening eye which is set on an oval base with a beaded edge. A circular red stone in a baluster beaded setting is fixed below the eye and is mirrored on the other side with a similar tear-drop shaped setting for a red glass stone. Two little leaf-shaped settings for a green and red stone are attached either side on the inside of the filigree band at the top. The loop on hte right hand side has a decorative coil of gold wire wrapped round it with a
Credit line
Given by Dr W. Ganguly
Object history
Dr Ganguly bought this nose ring from Hans Weihreter, a dealer from Augsburg in 1994. . A similar style of nose ring is illustrated in The Journal of Indian Art and Industry, 1894, in which the author, E.B.Havell, Superintendent of the Madras School of Art, describes nose rings of this type, called pêchari, that were made by village goldsmiths for the Shudra classes of agriculturists in the Madras Presidency.
Bibliographic references
  • E.B.Havell, 'The Art Industries of the Madras Presidency', The Journal of Indian Art and Industry, London, illustrated by W. Griggs, Hanover St, Peckham, London SE, 1894, Vol V, No. 40, p.33, plate 35, fig.14
  • Ganguly, W., Nose Rings of India, Delhi, 2015 pp.110-111, illus, p.113
Collection
Accession number
IS.111-2019

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Record createdApril 29, 2015
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