Shield thumbnail 1
Shield thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Not currently on display at the V&A
On display at the British Museum

Shield

ca. 1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This watered steel shield overlaid with gold and some small details in silver was bought from the 1851 Great Exhibition held in London. It was described then as 'modern' and as having been made in Patiala. The gold ornamentation is finely worked in the technique called 'kuftkari' and features two maharajas on elephants, and two Akalis, or Nihangs, with their distinctive turbans, on horseback.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Crucible forged steel with decorative borders in gold kuftkari
Brief description
Shield dhal watered steel with decorative borders in gold kuftkari and figurative designs in gold, Patiala, ca. 1850
Physical description
Shield dhal watered steel with decorative borders in gold kuftkari and four figurative designs in gold, two elephants with representative figures of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharaja Sher Singh and two Akali Nihangs on horseback.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 39.4cm
Credit line
Purchased from the Great Exhibition
Object history
Bought from the 1851 exhibition, described as 'modern' and as from Patiala
Subjects depicted
Summary
This watered steel shield overlaid with gold and some small details in silver was bought from the 1851 Great Exhibition held in London. It was described then as 'modern' and as having been made in Patiala. The gold ornamentation is finely worked in the technique called 'kuftkari' and features two maharajas on elephants, and two Akalis, or Nihangs, with their distinctive turbans, on horseback.
Collection
Accession number
116-1852

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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