A FAREWELL ADDRESS AND SILVER INKWELL PRESENTED TO JOHN PANTON GUBBINS BY THE CITIZENS OF DELHI

DELHI, MUGHAL INDIA, 1852

Details

A FAREWELL ADDRESS AND SILVER INKWELL PRESENTED TO JOHN PANTON GUBBINS BY THE CITIZENS OF DELHI
DELHI, MUGHAL INDIA, 1852
The silver box of rectangular form with coffered lid, the surfaces decorated in repoussé with a series of flowering scrolls, the lid with a central oval containing four cartouches with an Urdu inscription in nasta'liq, the underside of the box with a long English inscription, the box on similarly decorated separate tray rising from four feet and with slightly raised rim; together with the farewell address, Urdu manuscript on paper 14ff. plus 2 fly-leaves, each folio with 9ll. of black nasta'liq in clouds reserved against gold ground, text panels ruled in blue and gold and surrounded by margins with gold floral illumination, first folio with gold and polychrome illuminated headpiece, final 8ff. with the signatures and stamps of various dignitaries, in red and gold silk binding in silk slipcase, sold also with a study on the document written in SOAS in 1964 and a reproduction of a painting of Gubbin's daughter Mary Eyles and her daughter Leila, glazed and framed
Box with tray 9 7/8 x 16½ x 4½in. (25.1 x 42.1 x 11.4cm.); folio of address 7¾ x 5 1/8in. (19.8 x 13cm.) (4)

Provenance

Presented to John Panton Gubbins in 1852, thence by descent until purchased by present owner

Engraved

On the top of the box in Urdu: 'John Panton, the just Judge from Delhi , Departed for England with a good name , In remembrance of our indebtedness, the chronogram , We wrote Alas! The grief of separation 1852'

On the underside of the box in English, 'Silver Inkstand presented to John P. Gubbins by about 2000 Natives on his leaving Delhi in 1852 , [A translation of the inscription] , Engraved in May 1879, M.E.G.'

Brought to you by

Sara Plumbly

splumbly@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2372

Lot Essay

This box, and the illuminated farewell address that accompany it, were presented to John Paton Gubbins by the citizens of Delhi in 1852, on the occasion of his retirement from the East India Company after twenty-seven years of service. The address makes clear that Gubbins was a well-respected and popular resident of Delhi, interested in Indian culture, fluent in Urdu and Persian, and just and fair in his role as Session Judge (a position that he filled for his final seven years in India). The first six folios of the manuscript comprise the text of the address while folios 7b to 15a contain seals and signatures of important citizens of Delhi. As well as being an important historical record, the document should also provide assistance in the future for correctly identifying the same stamps and signatures on contemporary documents. A transcription of the document, as well as a short study on it and a list of the personalities who signed it was published by S.A.A. Rizvi at SOAS in 1964. A copy of the text is available on request.

More from Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Including a Private Collection Donated to Benefit The University of Oxford, Part IV

View All