The bowl and handle of this early 19th century Indian spoon have been fashioned from separate blocks of nephrite jade. The difference in colour between the two elements suggests they date from different periods, and were probably joined together by means of the jewelled gold band in the 19th century. The gently tapering shaft with spiralling ribs would have required great skill in order to fashion it with such evenness, and it may have been made in a royal workshop. Its truncated terminal suggests that it was originally part of a different object, and may have been cut down from the shaft of a flywhisk. The spoon was acquired by William Tayler during his time in India and bought from him by the museum in 1874. 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".