Beaker and Cover
ca. 1605-1658 (made)
| Place of origin |
The beaker and cover illustrate the skill of craftsmen who were producing fine hardstone objects within the Mughal Empire in the early 19th century. Not only have the beaker and cover each been carved from single crystals of clear, colourless quartz, the surfaces have been polished and then carved and engraved with recesses that would have been inset with gems and gold, finished examples of which may be found elsewhere in the collections.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Rock crystal. Cut, polished and engraved using abrasives. Part of the fashioning process would have involved turning on a bow-driven lathe. |
| Brief description | Beaker and cover, engraved floral design, rock crystal, Mughal, Delhi India, c. 1605-1658 |
| Physical description | A beaker and cover, with carved depressions and engraved floral design to the exterior surfaces intended for the setting of gems and gold, fashioned in rock crystal and polished. The beaker is straight sided but tapering gently towards the thick base which is flat, both internally and externally. The interior wall is smooth and polished. The cover is domed with a centrally located, integral finial which has five near-hemispherical depressions engraved into it, one on top and four equally spaced around the side. The underside/interior is smooth and polished and there is an inner, raised ring for seating onto the beaker. There are some minor chips to the cover. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Purchased from Captain Rupert Simson on behalf of the Public Trustee, the sole executor and trustee of his father's estate |
| Object history | This rock crystal beaker and cover were part of a collection of Indian rock crystal objects that were offered for sale to the museum in 1920 by Captain Rupert Simson, who was following his late father's wishes. The whole collection of Indian rock crystaks was bought for the sum of £550-0-0.;; Purchased from Captain Rupert Simson on behalf of the Public Trustee, the sole executor and trustee of his father's estate. 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. R.P. 1920-7630 and R.P.1920-7006 |
| Summary | The beaker and cover illustrate the skill of craftsmen who were producing fine hardstone objects within the Mughal Empire in the early 19th century. Not only have the beaker and cover each been carved from single crystals of clear, colourless quartz, the surfaces have been polished and then carved and engraved with recesses that would have been inset with gems and gold, finished examples of which may be found elsewhere in the collections. |
| Bibliographic reference | The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950]
p. 232, cat. no. 1222 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.325&A-1920 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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