Physical description

A crescent-shaped gold bulak with a screw fastening with a granulated terminal. The bulak is decorated with a stamped design of an inner row of fruits, or possibly stylised bunches of ashoka blossoms, and an outer one of birds with borders of die-stamped wire The ring has a radiating fringe of granulation applied to small hollow gold beads mounted on gold wire. There is a pair of crimson glass stones set on either side of this ornamentation in bezel settings set on gold discs , with a pair of stylised flower heads soldered below the attachment for the screw fastening, which has a granulated finial. The back of the ring has further applications of beaded wire including a meandering wire round the centre of the back plate.

Place of Origin

Odisha (made)

Date

20th century (made)

Materials and Techniques

Gold wirework and granulation and glass

Dimensions

Weight: 3 g, Diameter: 2.9 cm

Object history note

This nose ring is part of the large donation of Indian folk jewellery from Dr Waltraud Ganguly which was collected over the last few decades before her death in 2015 from dealers in both India and Europe, in parallel with extensive fieldwork she carried out in the Indian Sub-Continent. It was bought together with Prov.992-2015 from Michael Beste on 25th October 2007 for a total sum of 470 Euros.

Descriptive line

Gold nose ring, bulak, from Odisha

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

p.104, illus.
Ganguly, W., Nose Rings of India, Delhi, 2015

Categories

Jewellery

Collection

South & South East Asia Collection