Faceted gemstone, square cushion, unmounted, rock crystal.

An unmounted, faceted rock crystal, in a square cushion shape, colourless and internally flawless. There are some scratches present, mostly to the table facet and possibly deliberate.

This faceted stone was acquired by William Tayler during his time in India (1829-1867). He subsequently sold it to the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1874 for the sum of £1-10s.

William Tayler was educated in England at Charterhouse and also spent a term at Christ Church, Oxford. He entered service with the East India Company on 30th April 1829, arriving in India in October of the same year. He held various posts in Bengal and was appointed Commissioner of Patna in 1855. During his service, he was able to acquire many objects, including hardstones, relating to the customs and religions of India as well as objects from other parts of South Asia.
He was criticised for his handling of the uprisings in Northern India and was moved to a lesser post before being suspended, ultimately resigning on 29th March 1859. He then practised as an advocate in the law courts of Bengal before returning to England in 1867.
He wrote a book about his experiences, entitled Thirty-eight Years in India, in which he states that "After my return to England, circumstances induced me, though with great reluctance, to part with the collection which is now in the South Kensington Museum".

This faceted rock crystal would have been cut in India with the intention of it being set into jewellery or for the adornment of a larger decorative object. Even though it is a common gem material of low intrinsic value, it would not necessarily have been intended for low-quality objects as the overall appearance may have been more important than the value of the components. The scratches to the stone, most notably on the table facet, appear to have been made deliberately.

721-1874