Cup & Saucer
19th century (made)
| Place of origin |
This cup and saucer would have been made primarily as an ornament rather than for use. Although agate is a tough and durable material, it is prone to crack when subjected to sudden and significant changes in temperature. Also, when worked to give fine edges or thicknesses, it is easily chipped or cracked when knocked. With this in mind, finely worked agate vessels that survive undamaged are uncommon.
The cup and saucer were made in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process being a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe.
Khambhat is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Khambhat and was once an important trading centre for the region but this has waned as the harbour silted up. Despite having no stone deposits of its own, Khambhat is renowned for the craft of agate-working and especially bead-making, with the raw materials coming from more distant sources.
The cup and saucer were made in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process being a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe.
Khambhat is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Khambhat and was once an important trading centre for the region but this has waned as the harbour silted up. Despite having no stone deposits of its own, Khambhat is renowned for the craft of agate-working and especially bead-making, with the raw materials coming from more distant sources.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Moss agate, cut & polished using abrasives, probably fashioned on a bow-driven lathe |
| Brief description | Cup and saucer, green moss agate, external engraved decoration, Cambay India, 19th century |
| Physical description | A round cup and saucer fashioned in green moss agate and polished all over. The cup has a short recessed foot with rim with a smooth interior. The exterior has been decorated with two wide raised circular bands, the lower one having closely spaced vertical channels carved in relief and the upper one having carved channels angled up & to the right, reaching the rim. The saucer has a short foot with flat base and a smooth upper surface. The underside has been decorated with a wide, raised band bearing closely spaced, carved channels angled up and to the right, reaching the rim. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | W. H. Cope Bequest |
| Object history | This cup and saucer were fashioned in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century. They were acquired by William Henry Cope Esq. who valued them at £6-10s. He bequeathed them to the museum in 1903. |
| Summary | This cup and saucer would have been made primarily as an ornament rather than for use. Although agate is a tough and durable material, it is prone to crack when subjected to sudden and significant changes in temperature. Also, when worked to give fine edges or thicknesses, it is easily chipped or cracked when knocked. With this in mind, finely worked agate vessels that survive undamaged are uncommon. The cup and saucer were made in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process being a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe. Khambhat is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Khambhat and was once an important trading centre for the region but this has waned as the harbour silted up. Despite having no stone deposits of its own, Khambhat is renowned for the craft of agate-working and especially bead-making, with the raw materials coming from more distant sources. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 690&A-1903 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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