Lamp thumbnail 1
Lamp thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Lamp

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

Lamp. The spoon is on a chain and is used to transfer oil from the central reservoir to the pan where it is burned. At the back of the lamp is a representation of a trident, sacred to the god Shiva. The lamp may come from a temple dedicated to Shiva. Eight small incised designs, each with two concentric circles around a dot, on the upper surface form part of its decoration, although one of these is pierced for the chain of the spoon to pass through.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cast copper alloy
Brief description
Metal lamp with spoon; Travancore, Kerala; 19th century
Physical description
Lamp. The spoon is on a chain and is used to transfer oil from the central reservoir to the pan where it is burned. At the back of the lamp is a representation of a trident, sacred to the god Shiva. The lamp may come from a temple dedicated to Shiva. Eight small incised designs, each with two concentric circles around a dot, on the upper surface form part of its decoration, although one of these is pierced for the chain of the spoon to pass through.
Dimensions
  • Height: 20.8cm
  • Width: 53.3cm
  • Depth: 10.6cm (maximum)
Object history
Transferred in 1879 from the India Museum, London, to the South Kensington Museum (now V&A). The record books of the India Museum collection ('Slip Books') note that this was from Travancore and was received by the India Museum in 1855, indicating that it was probably shown in the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1855.
Production
Travancore
Other number
8,088 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
02923(IS)

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 Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis.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

Record createdMarch 11, 2003
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest