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Group of Obelisks thumbnail 2
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Group of Obelisks

c. 1850 (made)
Place of origin
India (made)

These obelisks were made in India in the 19th century, with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and the use of abrasive-charged discs that would have been turned on a bow-driven lathe. Decorative objects such as this would have been produced in large quantities, most probably for export to the European market.


Object details

Categories
Gemstones
Hardstone
Ornament
India Museum
Object type
Group of obelisks
Parts
This object consists of 14 parts.

  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
  • Obelisk
Materials and techniques
Agates, bloodstone & jasper, cut & polished using abrasives
Agate
Bloodstone
Jasper
Brief description
Obelisks, square or rectangular base and cross section, fashioned from a variety of agates and jaspers, India, 19th century
Physical description
A collection of obelisks with square to rectangular bases and cross-sections, fashioned in a range of sizes and colours. The faces have been polished to a reasonable degree but the bases have been left only lightly polished.
Dimensions
  • 08268 1 ( is) height: 69.35mm
  • 08268 1 ( is) length: 37.3mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 1 ( is) width: 27.55mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 2 ( is) height: 72.55mm
  • 08268 2 ( is) length: 33.7mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 2 ( is) width: 32.7mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 3 ( is) height: 82.9mm
  • 08268 3 ( is) length: 36.2 to 39.0mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 3 ( is) width: 37.3 to 38.7mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 4 ( is) height: 89.6mm
  • 08268 4 ( is) length: 39.2 to 42.0mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 4 ( is) width: 32.7 to 33.8mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 5 ( is) height: 88.4mm
  • 08268 5 ( is) length: 36.5 to 37.3mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 5 ( is) width: 34.8mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 6 ( is) height: 88.25mm
  • 08268 6 ( is) length: 39.8 to 40.5mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 6 ( is) width: 37.5 to 38.0mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 7 ( is) height: 81.6mm
  • 08268 7 ( is) length: 39.9mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 7 ( is) width: 31.4mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 8 ( is) height: 84.35mm
  • 08268 8 ( is) length: 37.4 to 38.1mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 8 ( is) width: 34.5 to 35.6mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 9 ( is) height: 79.4mm
  • 08268 9 ( is) length: 34.0 to 34.9mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 9 ( is) width: 30.7 to 32.0mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 10 ( is) height: 54.4mm
  • 08268 10 ( is) length: 28.1 to 28.6mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 10 ( is) width: 27.0 to 27.6mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 11 ( is) height: 54.3mm
  • 08268 11 ( is) length: 29.5mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 11 ( is) width: 28.2 to 29.9mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 12 ( is) height: 62.8mm
  • 08268 12 ( is) length: 25.1 to 25.5mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 12 ( is) width: 17.0mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 13 ( is) height: 64.5mm
  • 08268 13 ( is) length: 26.7mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 13 ( is) width: 27.8 to 28.6mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 14 ( is) height: 61.6mm
  • 08268 14 ( is) length: 20.90 to 21.15mm (Note: Base)
  • 08268 14 ( is) width: 21.0 to 21.3mm (Note: Base)
No part was very symmetrical
Object history
These obelisks were made in India in the 19th century and were formerly in The India Museum in London. They were then transferred to the South Kensington Museum (later renamed The Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1879.
Summary
These obelisks were made in India in the 19th century, with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and the use of abrasive-charged discs that would have been turned on a bow-driven lathe. Decorative objects such as this would have been produced in large quantities, most probably for export to the European market.
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
08268:1/(IS) to 08268:14/(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O472487/group-of-obelisks/
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