11-11-2004, 07:18 PM
From Pioneer, Books section, 11Nov. 2004...
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Royal Indian Navratnas...
<b>The following are excerpts from Handicrafted Indian Enamel Jewellery by Rita Devi Sharma and M Vardarajan, printed here with the permission of the publishers, Roli Books:</b>
The princely states of India are treasure houses of rare and beautiful works of art and artefacts. Among these, the foremost is the Nizam of Hyderabad's exquisite jewellery collection. Consisting of both his personal acquisitions and heirlooms of the Adil Shahi dynasty, it was created by master craftsmen from Persia and Hyderabad. The result is a near perfect blending of Islamic and Hindu art and culture. The collection also has jewels that display the best of Deccani Hindu craftsmanship and European styles of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
<b>With the decline of the Mughal Empire, some of the finest master craftsmen were attracted to the wealth and pomp of the Nizam's court Hyderabad. </b>An adjunct to the fabulous wealth of the Adil Shahi rulers were the fabled diamond mines of Golconda that yielded several gems that were made into pieces of jewellery. The enamelled pieces in the Nizam's collection, are among the finest pieces of their kind anywhere in the world.
<i>I thought the Golconda Dynasty was teh Qutub Shahi dynasty and Adil shahi were somewhere else.</i>
Although there were different schools of enamelling, the enamels of Hyderabad continues to be gem-set on the front with exquisite enamelling on the reverse. Unfortunately, not enough scholarly attention has been paid to it even though some of the finest enamelling found in south India had its origin in Hyderabad. However, with examples attributed to Deccani enamelling the main features of the Deccani style jewellery have complex designs and elegant enamel detailing on gold, with the surface of the metal seldom being overcrowded. The thrust of the designs lies in flowers, nature and their various details. The colours used are deep, dark and rich with dainty touches of white.
Dinshah Gazdar in 1950, reported: 'I have never set eyes on such jewels before. Each piece is beautifully enamelled on the back in colours obtainable only after pounding precious stones. Today if I were asked to produce even a small replica of one of these I would be unable to do so, for these are unique specimens of a lost art. In fact, they are considered so valuable that it is said th
Sarpechs (turban ornaments), necklaces, rings, armlets, waist girdles, bangles, earrings, bracelets, nav-ratna buckles, hanslis (a solid one-piece necklace), brooches and countless other jewel-studded and enamelled pieces-all encrusted and fairly dripping with diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds and enamels, are to be found in the collection. Among them is also the Jacob diamond (which the Nizam reportedly used as a paper weight), a rock that weighs a stunning 184.50 carats and is counted among the largest of its kind in the world.
A unique feature of the Nizam's collection is its fusion of the two cultures of Hyderabad - Islamic and Hindu. These were amalgamed to produce a style that was and is distinct and exotic. Among the most striking examples of this work is a turban plume called Kalgi Almas Parab with its frontal showing a pear-shaped, table-cut diamond-set scroll surmounted with a huge drop pearl. The reverse of this piece is enamelled with black mina with an opening for a feather, and the tapering stem to fix the ornament in a turban.
Black enamel is used very rarely and sparingly in traditional Mughal-style jewellery, because the technical expertise for such enamelling needs to be very high. That Deccani craftsmen had obviously obtained a level of skill required to make such piece with black enamel is clearly demonstrated by the fine black enamelling on this piece.
The Nizam's jewels are an exceptional collection in India and have been seldom seen in the three hundred-odd years of their existence. So great was the public interest generated by its air of mystery that poets and writers wrote of its legendary beauty out of imagination born of curiosity. <b>Then, in 1972, the collection was offered for sale and after years of negotiations, it was finally acquired by the Government of India as the jewels were declared a part of the nation's heritage. When the collection was opened to the public for viewing, unprecedented crowds thronged the National Museum in New Delhi, where it was displayed for over a month.</b>
The Garuda Purana ascribes the origin of gemstones to the slaying of demon, Vala, whose severed limbs were transformed into precious gem seeds; his blood transmuted into rubies; his teeth became pearls, and so on. Each gem possessed characteristic powers of enhancing or controlling individual traits. Emeralds had positive influences on intellect and wit, diamonds were associated with inner and outer refinement, blue sapphires had to be used with caution as the influence of Saturn could often prove destructive. It was only when gem stones were combined in a unique manner with particular reference to the individuals that their beneficent effects were felt.
The setting of the Nav-Ratna is determined by rules known to astrologers and jewellers. Patterns established according to the cardinal points were adopted, with individual variations determined by horoscopes.
The ancient Hindus attributed various qualities to precious stones. There are certain stones which could not be worn on themselves but only in conjunction with others. <b>The Mughals also came under he influence of Hindu superstition and had faith in astrology, before taking any important step. The hold was so great that even the fanatic Aurangzeb could not get rid of his belief in them.</b>
Therefore, Nav-Ratnas are set in armlets, rings and amulets, purposely for their talismanic effect.
Nav-Ratna jewellery became very popular with the Mughals and Nav-Ratna necklaces and bracelets of huge uncut stones became typical of Muslim jewellery.
The royal treasuries of the Indian princely States were the envy of collectors all over the world. Although the Nizam of Hyderabad's collection is believed to be one of its kind in the world, there were other royal treasures in India that were as spectacular. The jewels of the Jaipur royal family were hidden in the Jaigarh fort and guarded by the fierce Mina tribe. No one, it is said, not even the custodians, had any idea of the worth of this royal hoard.
A Maharaja was allowed to see this treasure only once in his lifetime and could select one piece. Other princely States famous for their jewels were the Maharajas of Patiala, the Gaekwars of Baroda and the Wodeyars of Mysore. The Maharaja of Patiala once sent a casket of jewels from his collection to the House of Cartier in Paris to redesign them into more modern pieces. Among them was a diamond that weighed a staggering 234.69 carats. It was the largest commission Cartier had ever handled.
The Indian princes were flamboyant and loved to display their treasures on their person. Their turbans were festooned with ropes of pearls and diamonds sparkled on aigrettes. Their necks were hung with pearls, diamonds, emeralds and rubies and their arms sported armlets. even their swords and scabbards were like pieces of jewellery.
<b>The late Duchess of Windsor once bought an Indian emerald drop necklace, re-made from an anklet of the Baroda collection from a famous dealer in 1957. Sadly, she decided to wear it at a grand reception where the Maharani of Baroda was also present. 'My dear,' the Maharani said to her companion in a rather loud voice, 'do you notice, she is wearing the beads I used to have on my feet!' Seething with humiliation, the Duchess apparently returned the necklace to the dealer the next day. </b>
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Royal Indian Navratnas...
<b>The following are excerpts from Handicrafted Indian Enamel Jewellery by Rita Devi Sharma and M Vardarajan, printed here with the permission of the publishers, Roli Books:</b>
The princely states of India are treasure houses of rare and beautiful works of art and artefacts. Among these, the foremost is the Nizam of Hyderabad's exquisite jewellery collection. Consisting of both his personal acquisitions and heirlooms of the Adil Shahi dynasty, it was created by master craftsmen from Persia and Hyderabad. The result is a near perfect blending of Islamic and Hindu art and culture. The collection also has jewels that display the best of Deccani Hindu craftsmanship and European styles of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
<b>With the decline of the Mughal Empire, some of the finest master craftsmen were attracted to the wealth and pomp of the Nizam's court Hyderabad. </b>An adjunct to the fabulous wealth of the Adil Shahi rulers were the fabled diamond mines of Golconda that yielded several gems that were made into pieces of jewellery. The enamelled pieces in the Nizam's collection, are among the finest pieces of their kind anywhere in the world.
<i>I thought the Golconda Dynasty was teh Qutub Shahi dynasty and Adil shahi were somewhere else.</i>
Although there were different schools of enamelling, the enamels of Hyderabad continues to be gem-set on the front with exquisite enamelling on the reverse. Unfortunately, not enough scholarly attention has been paid to it even though some of the finest enamelling found in south India had its origin in Hyderabad. However, with examples attributed to Deccani enamelling the main features of the Deccani style jewellery have complex designs and elegant enamel detailing on gold, with the surface of the metal seldom being overcrowded. The thrust of the designs lies in flowers, nature and their various details. The colours used are deep, dark and rich with dainty touches of white.
Dinshah Gazdar in 1950, reported: 'I have never set eyes on such jewels before. Each piece is beautifully enamelled on the back in colours obtainable only after pounding precious stones. Today if I were asked to produce even a small replica of one of these I would be unable to do so, for these are unique specimens of a lost art. In fact, they are considered so valuable that it is said th
Sarpechs (turban ornaments), necklaces, rings, armlets, waist girdles, bangles, earrings, bracelets, nav-ratna buckles, hanslis (a solid one-piece necklace), brooches and countless other jewel-studded and enamelled pieces-all encrusted and fairly dripping with diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds and enamels, are to be found in the collection. Among them is also the Jacob diamond (which the Nizam reportedly used as a paper weight), a rock that weighs a stunning 184.50 carats and is counted among the largest of its kind in the world.
A unique feature of the Nizam's collection is its fusion of the two cultures of Hyderabad - Islamic and Hindu. These were amalgamed to produce a style that was and is distinct and exotic. Among the most striking examples of this work is a turban plume called Kalgi Almas Parab with its frontal showing a pear-shaped, table-cut diamond-set scroll surmounted with a huge drop pearl. The reverse of this piece is enamelled with black mina with an opening for a feather, and the tapering stem to fix the ornament in a turban.
Black enamel is used very rarely and sparingly in traditional Mughal-style jewellery, because the technical expertise for such enamelling needs to be very high. That Deccani craftsmen had obviously obtained a level of skill required to make such piece with black enamel is clearly demonstrated by the fine black enamelling on this piece.
The Nizam's jewels are an exceptional collection in India and have been seldom seen in the three hundred-odd years of their existence. So great was the public interest generated by its air of mystery that poets and writers wrote of its legendary beauty out of imagination born of curiosity. <b>Then, in 1972, the collection was offered for sale and after years of negotiations, it was finally acquired by the Government of India as the jewels were declared a part of the nation's heritage. When the collection was opened to the public for viewing, unprecedented crowds thronged the National Museum in New Delhi, where it was displayed for over a month.</b>
The Garuda Purana ascribes the origin of gemstones to the slaying of demon, Vala, whose severed limbs were transformed into precious gem seeds; his blood transmuted into rubies; his teeth became pearls, and so on. Each gem possessed characteristic powers of enhancing or controlling individual traits. Emeralds had positive influences on intellect and wit, diamonds were associated with inner and outer refinement, blue sapphires had to be used with caution as the influence of Saturn could often prove destructive. It was only when gem stones were combined in a unique manner with particular reference to the individuals that their beneficent effects were felt.
The setting of the Nav-Ratna is determined by rules known to astrologers and jewellers. Patterns established according to the cardinal points were adopted, with individual variations determined by horoscopes.
The ancient Hindus attributed various qualities to precious stones. There are certain stones which could not be worn on themselves but only in conjunction with others. <b>The Mughals also came under he influence of Hindu superstition and had faith in astrology, before taking any important step. The hold was so great that even the fanatic Aurangzeb could not get rid of his belief in them.</b>
Therefore, Nav-Ratnas are set in armlets, rings and amulets, purposely for their talismanic effect.
Nav-Ratna jewellery became very popular with the Mughals and Nav-Ratna necklaces and bracelets of huge uncut stones became typical of Muslim jewellery.
The royal treasuries of the Indian princely States were the envy of collectors all over the world. Although the Nizam of Hyderabad's collection is believed to be one of its kind in the world, there were other royal treasures in India that were as spectacular. The jewels of the Jaipur royal family were hidden in the Jaigarh fort and guarded by the fierce Mina tribe. No one, it is said, not even the custodians, had any idea of the worth of this royal hoard.
A Maharaja was allowed to see this treasure only once in his lifetime and could select one piece. Other princely States famous for their jewels were the Maharajas of Patiala, the Gaekwars of Baroda and the Wodeyars of Mysore. The Maharaja of Patiala once sent a casket of jewels from his collection to the House of Cartier in Paris to redesign them into more modern pieces. Among them was a diamond that weighed a staggering 234.69 carats. It was the largest commission Cartier had ever handled.
The Indian princes were flamboyant and loved to display their treasures on their person. Their turbans were festooned with ropes of pearls and diamonds sparkled on aigrettes. Their necks were hung with pearls, diamonds, emeralds and rubies and their arms sported armlets. even their swords and scabbards were like pieces of jewellery.
<b>The late Duchess of Windsor once bought an Indian emerald drop necklace, re-made from an anklet of the Baroda collection from a famous dealer in 1957. Sadly, she decided to wear it at a grand reception where the Maharani of Baroda was also present. 'My dear,' the Maharani said to her companion in a rather loud voice, 'do you notice, she is wearing the beads I used to have on my feet!' Seething with humiliation, the Duchess apparently returned the necklace to the dealer the next day. </b>
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