Stamp — Brass sectarian stamp ('chhapa'), Nadia District, ca. 1860s
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1860s
Stamp in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number 04614(IS)), made in Nadia District, dated ca. 1860s. The museum's brief description reads: choppa; Printing, brass, Nuddea.
Museum description: Cast brass stamp depicting the footprints of Vishnu ('Vishnupada') and containing auspicious symbols. The stamp is used by Vaishnavites, particularly the devotees of Chaitanya to imprint their bodies with divine names or attributes. A dilute paste of sandalwood or chalky clay ('Gopichandan') is applied to the stamp for imprinting. The museum records it as Cast brass, measuring Length 6.3 cm; Width 6 cm; Depth 3.7 cm.
These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Brass
- Dimensions
- Length 6.3 cm; Width 6 cm; Depth 3.7 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Cast brass
- Place recorded
- Nadia District
Identification
- Museum object name
- Stamp
- Museum object number
- 04614(IS)
- Museum system number
- O108444
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.