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Lot Essay
Consigned by a descendant of the original owner, this exquisitely decorated gold, enamel and jewelled watch with matching brooch was presented to the owner’s father by Sir Uday Chand Mahtab KCIE, the Maharajadhiraja Bahadur of Bardhaman Raj (1905-1984).
The parents of the present owner, an English couple, spent the majority of their married life in India where the gentleman was a tea broker in Calcutta. The Maharaja of Burdwan was a Steward of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club and as a keen race goer, he was part of a syndicate that owned racehorses with, along with other friends, the father of the watch’s present owner (see photo).
The couple remained lifelong friends with the Maharaja even after they had returned to England. Upon the passing of the present owners father in 1963, the Maharaja sent a telegram of condolence to the family.
The enamel decoration of the watch case is particularly beautiful and displays the rare enamelling technique of “en camaieu” where the enamel is created to give the visual effect of a carved cameo. The watch itself can be attributed to the prestigious Swiss company Paul Ditisheim of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The initials “P.D” stamped on the inside of the case back and the inscription “Grand Prix Paris, 1900” on the bridge of the movement are typical of Ditisheim watches and the present watch is very much the sort of small enamelled and precious stone decorated timepiece that Ditisheim produced for the Brussels and Paris International Exhibitions of 1898 and 1900.
The famous retailer Cooke & Kelvey was founded in Calcutta in 1857 by Thomas Cooke and Charles Kelvey, the firm specialized in the sale of fine European made timepieces for the Indian Market. Usually of extremely high quality, the watches were generally fitted with Swiss movements, often supplied by the most eminent makers including among others, Audemars Piguet.
Sir Uday Chand Mahtab KCIE the Maharajadhiraja Bahadur of Bardhaman Raj (1905 -1984)
Succeeded to the throne of Burdwan Raj after the death of his father Maharajah Bijoy Burdwan in 1941. Maharajah Uday Burdwan served as President of the Non-Muslim block of the Bengal Partition meeting in 1947 and was a member of Legistative Assembly of Bengal. He acceded to the request to hand over his palace to the University of Burdwan and lived with his family in Alipore, Calcutta.
The parents of the present owner, an English couple, spent the majority of their married life in India where the gentleman was a tea broker in Calcutta. The Maharaja of Burdwan was a Steward of the Royal Calcutta Turf Club and as a keen race goer, he was part of a syndicate that owned racehorses with, along with other friends, the father of the watch’s present owner (see photo).
The couple remained lifelong friends with the Maharaja even after they had returned to England. Upon the passing of the present owners father in 1963, the Maharaja sent a telegram of condolence to the family.
The enamel decoration of the watch case is particularly beautiful and displays the rare enamelling technique of “en camaieu” where the enamel is created to give the visual effect of a carved cameo. The watch itself can be attributed to the prestigious Swiss company Paul Ditisheim of La Chaux-de-Fonds. The initials “P.D” stamped on the inside of the case back and the inscription “Grand Prix Paris, 1900” on the bridge of the movement are typical of Ditisheim watches and the present watch is very much the sort of small enamelled and precious stone decorated timepiece that Ditisheim produced for the Brussels and Paris International Exhibitions of 1898 and 1900.
The famous retailer Cooke & Kelvey was founded in Calcutta in 1857 by Thomas Cooke and Charles Kelvey, the firm specialized in the sale of fine European made timepieces for the Indian Market. Usually of extremely high quality, the watches were generally fitted with Swiss movements, often supplied by the most eminent makers including among others, Audemars Piguet.
Sir Uday Chand Mahtab KCIE the Maharajadhiraja Bahadur of Bardhaman Raj (1905 -1984)
Succeeded to the throne of Burdwan Raj after the death of his father Maharajah Bijoy Burdwan in 1941. Maharajah Uday Burdwan served as President of the Non-Muslim block of the Bengal Partition meeting in 1947 and was a member of Legistative Assembly of Bengal. He acceded to the request to hand over his palace to the University of Burdwan and lived with his family in Alipore, Calcutta.