Turban Jewel
ca. 1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The incomplete nature of this turban ornament, which is missing the standard jewelled front, reveals the technique of manufacture of most of the enamelled and jewelled gold ornaments made under Mughal stylistic influence. They are not solid gold but hollow and filled with lac, a natural resin. The enamelling would be completed before the lac was added, and the stones would then be set into the piece using kundan – highly refined gold that can be pressed into place by the jeweller’s tools without using heat.
This piece was one of a small group bought by the V&A in 1922 and 1923 from a Mr Talyarkhan, who said he had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajasthan, north-west India. Mr Talyarkhan noted that the piece had been made in Jaipur, a renowned centre of enamelling, but this cannot be verified.
This piece was one of a small group bought by the V&A in 1922 and 1923 from a Mr Talyarkhan, who said he had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajasthan, north-west India. Mr Talyarkhan noted that the piece had been made in Jaipur, a renowned centre of enamelling, but this cannot be verified.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled gold backed with lac |
| Brief description | Incomplete turban ornament, enamelled gold filled with lac, Possibly Jaipur, c.1750. |
| Physical description | Half section (back) of a turban aigrette. Gold, enamelled in translucent red and green, and white. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Purchased from A.F.S. Talyarkhan, Esq. c/o Thomas Cook & Son, Ludgate Circus, E.C.4 |
| Object history | This was one of a small group of turban jewels bought by the museum in 1922 from a Mr Talyarkhan, who said that he had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur. Purchased from A.F.S. Talyarkhan, Esq. c/o Thomas Cook & Son, Ludgate Circus, E.C.4. 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. R.P.1922-3402 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | The incomplete nature of this turban ornament, which is missing the standard jewelled front, reveals the technique of manufacture of most of the enamelled and jewelled gold ornaments made under Mughal stylistic influence. They are not solid gold but hollow and filled with lac, a natural resin. The enamelling would be completed before the lac was added, and the stones would then be set into the piece using kundan – highly refined gold that can be pressed into place by the jeweller’s tools without using heat. This piece was one of a small group bought by the V&A in 1922 and 1923 from a Mr Talyarkhan, who said he had purchased them from the Maharaja of Jaipur in Rajasthan, north-west India. Mr Talyarkhan noted that the piece had been made in Jaipur, a renowned centre of enamelling, but this cannot be verified. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.47-1922 |
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| Record created | February 6, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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