Howdah
late 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A 'howdah' هودج is an Anglo-Indian term that refers to the seat used for riding an elephant. Used in ceremonial processions, hunts and battles they were princely symbols of status.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Sheets of embossed and stamped parcel-gilt silver pinned to a wood carcass with cast pinnacles and chased decoration; seats upholstered in velvet |
| Brief description | 'Howdah' هودج made of silver and parcel-gilt embossed sheets pinned to a wooden frame; two seats upholstered with red velvet; India, late-19th century. |
| Physical description | Silver, parcel-gilt, wood and velvet trapezoidal howdah in the form of a small open carriage with two seating compartments. The larger forward-facing compartment seats two passengers and has a low hinged door to each side, with a bar above each door that pivots at the front and hooks into position in the armrest. To the upper part of the front of the howdah and the backrest of the seat is decorated with neogothic scrollwork and pinnacles. Both seats are upholstered in red velvet with gold thread trim. The exterior is decorated with gilded pseudo-heraldic designs, with the two doors chased with various motifs. All the decorative panels are surrounded by scrolling vines, ropework, and stylised foliage. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
| Object history | Provenance: Purchased by Arthur Gilbert from Marcheselli Fine and Decorative Arts, London in 1986. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | A 'howdah' هودج is an Anglo-Indian term that refers to the seat used for riding an elephant. Used in ceremonial processions, hunts and battles they were princely symbols of status. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
| Bibliographic reference | Schroder, Timothy. The Gilbert collection of gold and silver. Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1988, cat. no.175, pp. 647-49. ISBN.0875871445 |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.991-2008 |
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| Record created | July 4, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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