Box and cover, brass inlaid with lac, Mughal 18th c.

The circular brass box and domed cover both have twelve ribs. The cover is attached to the box by a hinge, two chains and a hasp fastening. The decoration on each rib is an engraved flowering plant under a cusped or lobed arch. The flowers are filled with orange lac and the leaves and stems with black lac. At the top of the cover is a low projecting cone decorated with an orange and black rosette.

Bought (Richard Collection)

This object bought for £5, 10shillings was purchased as a part of the Richard Collection.

Jules Richard (1816- 1891), born in France, travelled from Paris to Tehran, seeking a career at the Qajar court and started residing there in 1884. His proficiency in European languages helped secure him an appointment as a professor of French and English at Dar al-Funan, a European style university in Tehran. He also taught French at the royal court and served as the personal interpreter and translator for Naser-al-din Shah, coming with him during the latter’s visit to England in 1873. He also served as the caretaker of the British Mission during the Anglo-Afghan crisis of 1856-57.

Jules Richard supplemented his teaching and translating work with a successful art dealing business in Iran. While in Iran, a close partnership developed between him and Robert Murdoch Smith of South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), and Director of the Persian Section of the Indo-European Telegraph company. He became the main supplier of Smith from Jan 1875 when the latter was in Tehran and from 1876, Richard had practically monopolised Smith. A collection of 2,000 objects including carpets, paintings, manuscripts, painted lacquer, and ceramics was acquired from Richard in 1875 by the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) through Robert Murdoch Smith. He continued to act as the Museum's agent in Tehran from 1873 to 1885. Further pieces from Richard's collection appeared at the Exposition Universelle held in Paris in 1889. In the same year, he sold more objects to the museums of South Kensington, Edinburgh, and Dublin.

Bought (Richard Collection). This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

This circular box and cover is made of brass decorated with coloured lac, a natural resin. It was made in India, somewhere in the Mughal empire, in the 18th century. It was probably intended to be used as a container for pan (pronounced paan). The offering of pan formed an important part of courtly ceremonial, and was offered to mark the point at which guests departed. It refers to small packets made of edible leaves wrapped round a mixture of chopped areca nuts and spices, and is used as a digestif throughout South and Southeast Asia.

747-1889