Cover of satin embroidered with coloured silks, Kutch, 19th century

Cover of red satin embroidered with coloured silks entirely in chain stitch. The middle pattern consists of vertical waving stems bearing green and brown hand-like leaves and forming ogival compartments, each of which contains a pink or blue eight-petalled flower repeated in horizontal rows. Enclosing this design is a band of blue buds and their leaves. The border has a bold continuous scrolling stem with the same flower as the field between fillets of crosses and s-curves.

Given by Lady Ratan Tata, York House, Twickenham

Navajbai Sett (1877- 1965), the younger daughter of Ardeshir Merwanji Sett, or Lady Ratan Tata gave the collection of her husband Sir Ratan Tata (1871- 1918) in 1920 to the V&A. The collection was distributed across the Indian Section and the then departments of architecture, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, textiles, and woodwork.

Sir Ratan Tata was a great art collector, and although he collected often to decorate the several residences he had in England, India and France, he also pursued his collecting interests specifically on these trips. He was interested in Chinese and Japanese works which he acquired in the countries as well as in European paintings, ceramics, and Indian textiles and crafts. Among the items acquired in 1920 were many that were housed at Sir and Lady Tata’s residence, York House in Twickenham. When Sir Ratan Tata died, the Executors of his estate offered his collection to the Prince of Wales Museum (now the CSMVS), Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1920. It was in the same year that she gave parts of the collection to the V&A.

Given by Lady Ratan Tata, York House, Twickenham. 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. 1920-6471

IM.259-1920