NORTH INDIA, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A GEM-SET AND ENAMELLED NAVARATNA GOLD NECKLACE
NORTH INDIA, LATE 19TH CENTURY
Composed of a large rosette pendant with navaratna style inset gemstones including diamonds, sapphires, rubies, pearls, emeralds, coral and turquoise set around a large yellow foiled diamond, issuing a small spinel pendant on a freshwater pearl string, the reverse decorated with polychrome enamel floral design, the necklace formed of 18 paired gold rectangles with navratna inset gemstones, each linked together by five strings of freshwater pearls, the reverse of each with similar enamelled floral spray on red ground, a silk string tie at the end, in velvet lined fitted box
15½in. (39.3cm.) long

Special notice

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Lot Essay

Navratna jewellery is set with the Navagraha which literally translates to the ‘nine precious stones’ representing the nine planets of the Hindu astrological system and their associated deities.These stones are worn individually or all together in a jewel called the navratna believed to negate danger and to attract beneficial influences and energy. For further reading see O. Untracht, Traditional Jewelry of India, London, 1997, p.304. For a necklace of similar structure with a closely related pendant attributed to Delhi see The Journal of Indian Art, Vol. XII Nos. 95-107, Thomas Holbein Hendley, Indian Jewellery, Delhi, reprinted 2009, pl. 5, no.20.

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