Not currently on display at the V&A

Chess Piece

16th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A carved ivory chess piece in the form of an elephant and howdah containing a king with a servant seated behind him and four retainers on foot.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Carved ivory, with traces of red pigment
Brief description
Chesspiece, in the form of an elephant and howdah, carved ivory, Deccan, 16th century.
Physical description
A carved ivory chess piece in the form of an elephant and howdah containing a king with a servant seated behind him and four retainers on foot.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4cm
  • Length: 3.5cm
Style
Object history
Another elephant from the same set is in the Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay. (No.634)
Historical context
Purchased by R.W.Skelton in India on behalf of the Museum.
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, p.114, pl.93.
Collection
Accession number
IS.85-1963

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Record createdOctober 4, 2001
Record URL
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