A 24-lobed, oval dish fashioned in grey jade with black speckles, central multi-petalled flower carved in low relief, recessed and carved foot, Mughal, 18th century.

A 24-lobed, oval dish fashioned in pale grey nephrite jade that has bands of black, speckled inclusions. The upper surface is ribbed but otherwise smooth and polished with a chrysanthemum carved in low relief at the centre. The oval foot ring contains a rosette of leaves with a flower bud at the centre which has eight half-closed petals. There are several naturally occurring cracks, some of which have become brown, stained with iron.

Bequeathed by Mr and Mrs Ernest Schwaiger

This dish was bequeathed by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Schwaiger. RF 95/621

Ernest Schwaiger was the son of Imre Leonard Schwaiger, the well-known dealer in gems and eastern works of art. Through his father's business association and personal friendship with the jeweller Jacques Cartier, Ernest worked for the firm of Cartier in Paris, eventually becoming a director.
He married the stage actress and singer, Adele Helena Dixon in August 1928 and together they built up a significant collection of eastern works of art including Mughal Empire and Chinese jades and other hardstone objects as well as Japanese netsukes, with a number of objects probably originally coming from Ernest's father. They remained a devoted couple until his death in 1976. Upon Adele's death in 1992, their collection was bequeathed to the Victoria & Albert Museum.

This salver was made within the Mughal empire, probably in the 18th century. It illustrates the skill of the craftsmen who were producing fine objects during the time of the Mughal Empire. It has been expertly fashioned from a single piece of nephrite jade, which is a hard and durable material that requires patience and skill to work. Although it is a hard material, when it has been worked to give fine edges or thicknesses, it can be prone to damage by sharp impacts or significant and rapid changes in temperature.

IS.27-1997