Ceremonial spoon, Mughal empire, ca. 1600
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1600
Ceremonial spoon in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number IM.173-1910), made in Mughal empire, dated ca. 1600. The museum's brief description reads: Gold spoon, chased and engraved on the back of the bowl; the back of the bowl and stem set with emeralds, rubies and diamonds in kundan settings, and with a large facetted diamond on the knop; the core filled with lac, a natural resin.
Mughal empire, ca. 1600. Museum description: The spoon of European form is of gold with a core of lac. The stones covering the back of the bowl and all sides of the stem are rubies, emeralds and diamonds, set with diamonds along the edge of the bowl and in the knop. The museum records it as Gold, chased and set with rubies, emeralds and diamonds, measuring Length 18.6 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.
Historical context
This unique ceremonial spoon was made within the Mughal empire, almost certainly in the court workshops, in about 1600. It is made of gold but is not solid. Its core is lac, the natural resin used in most gold artefacts made in the Indian subcontinent. The form is influenced by Europe, but the technique of setting the stones which relies on using the purest gold (kundan), is indigenous and apparently unique to the subcontinent. The stones covering the back of the bowl and all sides of the stem are rubies, emeralds and diamonds. It was bought by the museum in 1910 from the well-known Hungarian dealer based in India, Imre Schwaiger, for £353. The dealer had close links with princely families across India.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Gold, ruby, emerald, diamond
- Dimensions
- Length 18.6 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Gold, chased and set with rubies, emeralds and diamonds
- Place recorded
- Mughal empire
Identification
- Museum object name
- Ceremonial spoon
- Museum object number
- IM.173-1910
- Museum system number
- O73636
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.