Necklace thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Necklace

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

The sliding gold chain supports a gold pendant set with rubies, diamonds and pastes (imitation precious stones), which may also be worn as a brooch. The necklace shows obvious European influence in its form and claw-set stones, but the motifs are larger than those of Western models and the gauge of the metal slightly thicker.

The piece was acquired as being from Madras from an unnamed exhibition in 1855 by the Indian Museum. This museum was formed by the East India Company in the early 19th century and housed in the company’s premises in London, before being divided between the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) and the British Museum in 1879. The necklace was approvingly described at the time as having ‘a very chaste design’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleNecklace
Materials and techniques
Engraved gold, set with rubies, diamonds and pastes
Brief description
Necklace, gold set with rubies, diamonds and pastes, Madras, ca. 1850.
Physical description
Engraved gold necklace set with rubies, diamonds and pastes. Gold formed in foliate motifs with central white stone/paste, surrounded by diamonds, with two rubies above, and a pale blue stone/paste above.
Dimensions
  • Height: 3.8cm
  • Width: 4.4cm
Object history
The form of the necklace, and the claw setting of the stones of the pendant show obvious European influence, but the motifs are larger and the gauge of the metal thicker. Acquired by the Indian Museum in 1855 from an unnamed exhibition.
Subject depicted
Summary
The sliding gold chain supports a gold pendant set with rubies, diamonds and pastes (imitation precious stones), which may also be worn as a brooch. The necklace shows obvious European influence in its form and claw-set stones, but the motifs are larger than those of Western models and the gauge of the metal slightly thicker.

The piece was acquired as being from Madras from an unnamed exhibition in 1855 by the Indian Museum. This museum was formed by the East India Company in the early 19th century and housed in the company’s premises in London, before being divided between the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) and the British Museum in 1879. The necklace was approvingly described at the time as having ‘a very chaste design’.
Bibliographic references
  • Susan Stronge, Nima Smith, and J.C. Harle. A Golden Treasury : Jewellery from the Indian Subcontinent London : Victoria and Albert Museum in association with Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, 1988. p.102-103
  • Guy, John and Swallow, Deborah (eds.) Arts of India: 1550-1900. Text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990, reprinted 1999. 240 p. : ill. ISBN: 1851770224. p.210, pl.184
Collection
Accession number
03314(IS)

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Record createdDecember 22, 1999
Record URL
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