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Lot Essay
Turquoise was quite commonly used in Indian jewellery in the 19th century. George Birdwood’s ‘The Industrial Arts of India’ (1880) and S.S. Jacob and T.H. Hendley’s ‘Jeypore Enamels’ (1886), considered two if the most important 19th century publications on Indian crafts, feature several turquoise-set necklaces indicating their popularity. (P. M. Carvalho, Gems and Jewels of Mughal India, Volume XVIII, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, London, 2010, p. 121.) There is a North Indian gold necklace with comparable turquoise-set elements strung on seed pearls and dating to circa 1880 in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection (Carvalho, 2010, op. cit., no. 48, p. 121-122.)
Hamilton & Co. were the first British silversmiths to set up business in Calcutta around 1811. Most of their items were produced for British customers. Besides selling silver, they were also known as retailers of luxury items such as carriage clocks, watches, as well as light fittings and cut-glass furniture by F. & C. Osler, a Birmingham based firm who shared a showroom in Calcutta with the silversmiths.
The bracelet bears a Dutch stamp on the reverse which suggests that the suite was probably imported into the Netherlands from India and the gold on the bracelet tested for purity when the suite arrived.
Hamilton & Co. were the first British silversmiths to set up business in Calcutta around 1811. Most of their items were produced for British customers. Besides selling silver, they were also known as retailers of luxury items such as carriage clocks, watches, as well as light fittings and cut-glass furniture by F. & C. Osler, a Birmingham based firm who shared a showroom in Calcutta with the silversmiths.
The bracelet bears a Dutch stamp on the reverse which suggests that the suite was probably imported into the Netherlands from India and the gold on the bracelet tested for purity when the suite arrived.