Spoon, P. Orr & Sons, Madras, ca. 1876
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1876
Spoon, P. Orr & Sons, Madras, ca. 1876 is an object recorded by Victoria and Albert Museum, dated ca. 1876. The museum's brief description reads: Cast and chased silver spoon, made by P. Orr & Sons, Madras, ca. 1876. Museum description: Silver, the deep oval bowl chased with the fish avatar of Vishnu within a cusped cartouche, framed by a border of rosettes enclosed within straight, four sided panels. On the back of the bowl, round the rim, is a border of leaves within double incised lines.The cast stem of the spoon is in the form of an openwork intertwined grape vine in low relief on both sides, and terminates with a small figure also of the fish avatar of Vishnu, identified on the pedestal on which he stands as "Coorma" in capital letters. The museum record gives measurements Height 21.5 cm; Width 5.2 cm; place associated: Madras. These details come from the holding 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 silver spoon is decorated in a style done in South India in the 19th century and known as "Swami" work. It was particularly associated with the decoration of jewellery made for Europeans, but was also used for silver plate, again for the European market. "Swami" is an anglicised Sanskrit adjective, correctly rendered"svami" for a male and "svamini" for a female, used to denote a god, goddess, lord, master, husband, distinguished person, or a lover. The term was employed by western writers in the 19th century to denote the essential characteristics of South Indian architecture, but was subsequently adopted by Indo-British manufacturers of jewellery and plate. The leading manufacturer was the firm of P. Orr and Sons of Madras, whose catalogue of c. 1876 describes the style as being "peculiar to South India, and represents in alto relievo or embossed style distinct designs or figures of Heathen deities or "Swamies" of the Hindu Pantheon". The catalogue, undated but produced shortly after the visit of the Prince of Wales to India in 1876, notes that the firm kept a large stock of Swami Jewellery and also of Silver Tea and Dessert services, Spoons, etc, and can generally despatch orders by return post, but for particular patterns, a delay of a few days may unavoidably occur." The catalogue illustrated general sizes and shapes, and noted that particular deities or decorative elements could be combined to order. Similar examples to this spoon are illustrated on p. 21, no. 320,…
Physical characteristics
- Dimensions
- Height 21.5 cm; Width 5.2 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Silver, cast and chased
- Place recorded
- Madras
Design
- Inscriptions recorded
- 'ORR'
Identification
- Museum attribution
- P. Orr & Sons
- Museum object name
- Spoon
- Museum object number
- IS.48-2004
- Museum system number
- O116679
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 materials, dimensions, maker and wider type against the museum record and a specialist reference.