Nepalese Gold Pendant

Extremely Fine Gold Pendant of Vishnu & Garuda set with Pearls, Coloured Glass and Gems

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

circa 1820

height: 7cm, weight: 26g

This pendant, by repute, was the property of the Earls of Elgin. It is either a single earring or has been re-purposed as a pendant. It might also have served as a forehead ornament (bindia). It shows Vishnu seated on his vahana Garuda. Suspended from the body of the ornament are seventeen gold tassels each of which includes a seed pearl and a gold tassel end. It is possible, indeed probable, that the item was not designed for human use but to adorn a statue.

It is one of the finest examples of Newar goldwork from the Kathmandu Valley that we have seen. A similar earring is on display in the British Museum although the example here is finer and more detailed, with more tassels, more gold and more ‘gems.’

The gold is 22-carat or thereabouts and is set with small pearls and coloured and engraved glass to emulate gems. (Some of the ‘gems’ might be actual gems – but mostly the inlay is of glass.) The use of coloured glass rather than all gems suggests an earlier rather than a later dating for the piece. Tibetan jewellers tended to use precious gems earlier than Nepalese jewellers who do not seem to have access to the same trade routes from which precious gems could be sourced. An age of circa 1820 has been assigned to this piece but the use of glass rather than gems is associated more with 18th century Nepalese jewellery. Most probably the glass was traded into Nepal from Beijing.

The goldwork includes gold pearled filigree wire which is a Newari trademark. The back is embellished with a clear glass cabochon in a gold box setting and a post to allow suspension.

The piece is in excellent condition other than for the loss of one of the two small gold hands on the Garuda. (Conceivably, a new hand could be cast from the existing hand – but the loss is rather obscured by the overall profusion of gold and glass ‘gems’.)

References

Casey Singer, J., Gold Jewelry from Tibet and Nepal, Thames & Hudson, 1996.

Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004.

Rana, P., P. Rana & G. Rana, The Ranas of Nepal, Timeless Books, 2003.

Provenance:

by repute, from the family of the Earls of Elgin. James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine was made Viceroy of India in 1862 but died the following year. During his time as Viceroy, he supported the efforts to visit London of Maharaja Sir Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, the 11th Prime Minister of Nepal. It is possible that the pendant was a gift from Bir Shamsher to Lord Elgin. The 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine, Victor Bruce, also served as Viceroy of India, from 1894 to 1899.

Inventory no.: 3002

SOLD

here

James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin

Maharaja Sir Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana

& Consort

Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin

The British Museum example.

Our example.