Textiles, blue woollen cloth, embroidered, Sri Lanka

Tear-drop shaped bag of dark blue wollen cloth, embroidered around the edge in a simple design in red and white cotton thread, and in the centre with a cross. The bag has a handle at the top made of plaited cotton threads. It is in two compartments; the interior is lined with coarse brown cotton.

Purchased from Ralph Nevill, Esq., 89 Chancery Lane

260 objects from the collection of Hugh L Nevill (1847-1897) were purchased from his brother Ralph Nevill Esq for £75 in 1897. Hugh Nevill was a British civil servant who served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) between 1869 and 1888. During his service, he developed an interest in Sri Lankan culture and history assembled a diverse collection of Sri Lankan items including palm leaf manuscripts (now in the British Library), jewellery, bronzes and stones from c. 1865 to 1897. Upon his death, his collection of mainly religious material, ethnographic objects and art metalwork was purchased through his brother by various museums. Sixty items were purchased by the Dublin Museum of Science and Art (National Museum of Ireland), 207 by the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art (National Museum of Scotland) and 260 by the South Kensington Museum.


Purchased from Ralph Nevill, Esq., 89 Chancery Lane. 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.

RP: 1054840/97

IS.437-1897