A rectangular mirror and frame, greyish green nephrite jade, mirrored glass, round recesses for stones with most missing. Unfinished.

A rectangular mirror set into a rectangular frame of greyish green nephrite jade, with a basic polish. In the middle of one of the narrow sides, there is an elongated triangular protrusion with barbed and notched sides. Around the frame, carved into the front face, there are twenty evenly-spaced round depressions into which were once embedded small round cabochons, only two of which now remain. The two stones are colourless and have been set into reflective, closed-back settings that had once been coloured red, using a resin, probably lac. On the front face of the triangular protrusion, there are three further round depressions that are linked by shallow scratches into the surface.
On the back face, there are a further twenty-two small circular depressions, in a flower and leaf design, with shallow scratches linking them.

This mirror was acquired by William Tayler during his time in India (1829-1867). He subsequently sold it to the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1874 for the sum of £1-0-0.

William Tayler was educated in England at Charterhouse and also spent a term at Christ Church, Oxford. He entered service with the East India Company on 30th April 1829, arriving in India in October of the same year. He held various posts in Bengal and was appointed Commissioner of Patna in 1855. During his service, he was able to acquire many objects, including hardstones, relating to the customs and religions of India as well as objects from other parts of South Asia.
He was criticised for his handling of the uprisings in Northern India and was moved to a lesser post before being suspended, ultimately resigning on 29th March 1859. He then practised as an advocate in the law courts of Bengal before returning to England in 1867.
He wrote a book about his experiences, entitled Thirty-eight Years in India, in which he states that "After my return to England, circumstances induced me, though with great reluctance, to part with the collection which is now in the South Kensington Museum".

The frame of this mirror has been rather crudely fashioned from a single piece of nephrite jade, a hard and durable material that requires patience and skill to work. It was intended to be set with gold and gems. The handle seems to be unfinished. The mirror was acquired in India by William Tayler and sold to this museum in 1874.

729-1874