Not currently on display at the V&A

Costume Doll

c.1867 (made)
Place of origin

Costume doll representing a man from Lucknow. Unidentified armature and stuffing covered in cotton fabric. Dressed in silk paijama, with checks of zigzag pattern in magenta and green with brocaded metal-wrapped thread butis (floral sprig), with turqoise waistband and drawstring (ezarband) of metal-wrapped thread and gota ribbon. Outer robe of silk and silver strip with brocaded metal-wrapped silk thread in repeat floral design, edged with diagonall striped silk and metal strip fabric in pink, green, purple and magenta, and folded silver gota. The collars, lapels, armhole seams and back detail of green satin embellished with coiled and crimped metal strip and sequins. Back of collar and lapels faced with red silk and embellished with sequins. Cental strip of red wool with crimped mtal strip, sequins, metal-wrapped thread and glass beads. Undershirt (arms only) plain purple silk with cuffs of silver gota and crimped metal strip. Waist wrapped with triangular piece of turquoise net edged with silver-gilt gota and silver fringe. Tall hat of purple and green satin embellished with metal strip, sequins, and metal-wrapped thread, with extending side flaps. Long hair of black cotton thread. Face with embroidered eyes, eyebrows, and mouth, with thin drawn mustache. Remains of adhesive on ears, neck and left hand indicating missing jewellery. Right hand holding a sword of red wool edged with silver gota with hanging tassels of metal strip and seed pearl on off hilt. Dagger of green wool with tassel and pearl at hilt tucked into waist sash. Shoes of pale blue satin with brocaded pattern in silver-gilt wrapped thread. Fingers tipped with red fabric.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Costume doll representing a man from Lucknow, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, c.1867; Textiles; Dolls
Physical description
Costume doll representing a man from Lucknow. Unidentified armature and stuffing covered in cotton fabric. Dressed in silk paijama, with checks of zigzag pattern in magenta and green with brocaded metal-wrapped thread butis (floral sprig), with turqoise waistband and drawstring (ezarband) of metal-wrapped thread and gota ribbon. Outer robe of silk and silver strip with brocaded metal-wrapped silk thread in repeat floral design, edged with diagonall striped silk and metal strip fabric in pink, green, purple and magenta, and folded silver gota. The collars, lapels, armhole seams and back detail of green satin embellished with coiled and crimped metal strip and sequins. Back of collar and lapels faced with red silk and embellished with sequins. Cental strip of red wool with crimped mtal strip, sequins, metal-wrapped thread and glass beads. Undershirt (arms only) plain purple silk with cuffs of silver gota and crimped metal strip. Waist wrapped with triangular piece of turquoise net edged with silver-gilt gota and silver fringe. Tall hat of purple and green satin embellished with metal strip, sequins, and metal-wrapped thread, with extending side flaps. Long hair of black cotton thread. Face with embroidered eyes, eyebrows, and mouth, with thin drawn mustache. Remains of adhesive on ears, neck and left hand indicating missing jewellery. Right hand holding a sword of red wool edged with silver gota with hanging tassels of metal strip and seed pearl on off hilt. Dagger of green wool with tassel and pearl at hilt tucked into waist sash. Shoes of pale blue satin with brocaded pattern in silver-gilt wrapped thread. Fingers tipped with red fabric.
Dimensions
  • Height: 33cm
  • Width: 19cm
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. Slip book entry 5848: ' Dressed doll / Benares, Bengal / Rs. 10 / 1867 / Original nos. 4279 / Costume of a native gentleman of Lucknow'
Associated objects
Other number
5848 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
6861(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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