Magnificent Indian Jades

Octagonal trinket box with lid of grape- coloured jade inlaid with red, green and colourless stones set in gold wire to represent flower patterns in panels. The base is joined to the box with gold wire. This box is dated to the 17th century.

Grape coloured spice box shaped like a leaf in three compartments, detachable lid set with red and green stones in gold wire. It is dated to the 17th century.

Jade seems to have been crafted into objects in the Indian sub-continent from pre-Mughal times though it gained prominence from the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir who was passionate about jades.

Mutton-fat coloured  hunting kard (knife) with jade handle encrusted with red, green and colourless stones, carved to represent flowers and leaves, set in gold, with a jade tassel encased in gold to match, Mughal, from the 17th century.

The hunting knife shown separately with mutton-fat coloured jade handle encrusted with red, green and colourless stones, carved to represent flowers and leaves, set in gold, with a jade tassel encased in gold to match, Mughal, from the 17th century.

Mutton-fat coloured jade handle, both ends worked in ruby enamel to represent a parrot head. Jade portion encrusted with carved emeralds set in gold depict leaves. The brocade bound scabbard is fitted with gold band sheath and ferrule with carved emeralds, Mughal, dated to the 17th century.

Jade archery thumb ring bears the inscription Sahib-e-Qiran-i-sani, which means 'the second lord of the conjunction'; this was a title adopted by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in emulation of his ancestor Timur. The inscription also has a date Hijri-1040/circa 1637 A.D.

Leaf shaped spoon of grape-coloured jade, carved along the shoulder and below, the knob with ribbed leaves having eight red-coloured stones around, encrusted in gold, dated to the 18th century.

Miniature aftaba of a grape coloured jade with lid. The lid is shown separately which is carved to represent ribbed design. The spout depicts the carving of a leaf, dated to the 18th century.

Another view of the grape-coloured jade bowl with handle carved to represent a cupped leaf; the handle shaped as a leaf on twisted stalk with two buds, the base design has a flower, dated to the 18th century. 

Greyish colour jade talwar (sword) hilt with grooves for encrustation, carved with upright leaves and flutings, dated to the 18th century.

Grape-coloured jade handle of a kard (dagger) shaped as the head of a ram, dated to the 19th century.

Another view of the dark green-coloured jade bowl shaped as the half of a fruit, carved in the inside surface with a leafy plant; base is seen carved to represent a flower with leaves around; the handle represents a curled stalk, dated to the 17th century.