Jewellery Die thumbnail 1
Jewellery Die thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Jewellery Die

1900-1993 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
India (made)

This jeweller’s die was used to make sheet-metal amulets. A thin sheet of metal, such as silver, would have been struck against the die to take its shape. The metal plaque amulet thus produced would have been worn suspended from the neck on a cord or chain.

The pattern is a female deity riding on a tiger, and holding a sword and a quoit (a throwing weapon). She is probably a form of the Hindu goddess Durga.


Object details

Categories
Hinduism
Amulets
Jewellery
SCRAN
Metalwork
Object type
Jewellery die
Materials and techniques
Cast brass
Brass
Cast
Brief description
Jewellery die, cast brass, 20th century, Maharashtra..
Physical description
Cast brass jewellery die, with image of Durga on tiger
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.6cm
  • Width: 4.4cm
  • Depth: 0.4cm
Object history
Collected in India as from Maharashtra in 1992.
Summary
This jeweller’s die was used to make sheet-metal amulets. A thin sheet of metal, such as silver, would have been struck against the die to take its shape. The metal plaque amulet thus produced would have been worn suspended from the neck on a cord or chain.

The pattern is a female deity riding on a tiger, and holding a sword and a quoit (a throwing weapon). She is probably a form of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Bibliographic references
  • PIACENTI, Kirsten Aschengreen, Susan Stronge, Cristina Del Mare, Rita Sharma et al., Gioielli dall'India dai Moghul al Novecento, La Rinascente, Milan, 1996, p.80
  • Barnard, Nick, Indian Jewellery: The V&A Collection London: V&A Publishing, 2008 Number: ISBN 9781851774838 pp.70-71, pl. 3.28, third row, right
  • Swallow, D., Stronge, S., Crill, R., Koezuka, T., editor and translator, "The Art of the Indian Courts. Miniature Painting and Decorative Arts", Victoria & Albert Museum and NHK Kinki Media Plan, 1993. p. 154, cat no. 137
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.3-1993

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Record createdJanuary 4, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18952/jewellery-die-unknown/
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