Cup & Saucer
c. 1850 (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 involving 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 involving 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 | Agate & moss agate, shaped and polished using abrasives, most probably fashioned by turning on a bow-driven lathe. |
| Brief description | Cup and saucer, circular, translucent pale grey agate with dark brown to black markings, Cambay India, c. 1850 |
| Physical description | A round cup and saucer, with the cup having a short, recessed foot with rim and the saucer having a short, flat foot. The cup has smooth surfaces and the saucer has a smooth upper surface and the lower surface has been carved with groups of radial channels. Fashioned in translucent pale grey agate with occasional dark brown to black markings, with a good overall polish. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Wells Bequest |
| Object history | This cup and saucer were fashioned in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century and were acquired by Arthur Wells who was a Nottingham solicitor and Clerk of the Peace. He was a keen traveller and was made a Fellow of the Geographical Society. He is considered to be the first private British collector of Chinese jade and his collection of jade and other hardstone objects from South Asia was on exhibition at the South Kensington Museum at the time of his death in 1882. This collection was left to the museum in his will - the Wells Bequest. |
| 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 involving 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 | 1585&A-1882 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
