Preface and Acknowledgements

Preface & Acknowledgements

“Delight in Design” presents a never-before exhibited selection of richly decorated silverware produced by Indian craftsmen from varying parts of the British India empire during the Raj, the popular term for Crown rule of India between 1858–1947. A unique feature of the silver is the manner in which objects from different parts of the Empire exhibit totally varying decorative motifs reflecting, apparently, local and individual taste. Created initially as gifts and trophies for the British in India, these delightfully embellished tea services and wine jugs, salvers and bowls were soon thereafter available for purchase in Europe as well.

During the 19th and early 20th century, the word ‘design’ was used as a synonym for pattern, ornament, embellishment, whether it was of silverware, carpets, textiles, woodwork, or other handmade objects. It is in this sense that the word is used in “Delight in Design,” the title of this catalog, while the word ‘delight’ is intended to convey the attraction which allured viewers to become both admirers and purchasers of these objects. During the Raj, a sharp distinction was in place between much-admired design, and the forms and shapes upon which such design was applied. These handmade objects were included in the category of the ‘industrial arts,’ and British officials who wished to encourage such production attempted to steer the curriculum of art schools in India away from the ‘fine arts’ of painting and sculpture and towards the ‘industrial arts.’ The term ‘industrial arts’ has today been abandoned in favor of ‘crafts,’ as will be evident from the plethora of books dealing with Indian handmade products that are titled “The Arts and Crafts of India.” The word ‘design’ has a chequered history. By the mid- 20th century, ‘design’ was used to refer to the shape, form, or contour of a work, and never to any decoration (god forbid!) that might adorn it. The Design Centre in London, for instance, showcased the latest in furniture or tableware, and was a must-visit destination for those interested in elegant living.

This volume on Indian silver accompanies an exhibition of some 170 pieces of silver largely from the Paul F. Walter collection, with a few choice objects from the collection of Julian Sands. We are immensely grateful to these generous collectors for sharing this stunning material with us and making it available for display in the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Gallery at Columbia University. I am also deeply indebted to John Sequeira for sharing with us his rich archival material on the Kutch silver establishment of Oomersee Mawjee and Sons, and permitting the reproduction of some of the drawings. In London, we would like to express our gratitude to Susan Stronge, John Clarke, and Ann Eatwell of the Victoria & Albert Museum, and to the authorities of the British Library, for allowing us access to rare books and archival material not available elsewhere. Special thanks go to Jonathan Marsden, Deputy Surveyor of The Queen’s Works of Art, The Royal Collection, at Buckingham Palace who graciously allowed us to examine the silverware presented to Edward Albert, Prince of Wales, during his visit to India in 1875–76. In India we are especially grateful to Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar and the staff of the City Palace Museum, the Maharana Mewar Special Library, and the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation for allowing us to access a rare photographic album of P. Orr & Sons, and to reproduce select photographs for this catalog.

In preparation for the exhibition, we held a conference at Columbia University in late 2006, titled “The Art of Exchange: Circulation of Visual Culture in Colonial India,” sponsored by the Southern Asian Institute and the Department of Art History & Archaeology. We are grateful to Susan Bean, Deepali Dewan, Arindam Dutta, Natasha Eaton, Barry Flood, Douglas Fordham, Saloni Mathur, Abigail McGowan, and Indira Peterson, who presented papers with innovative ideas that stimulated valuable discussion. We have, of course, drawn upon the scholarly works of a number of other colleagues whose individual contributions are acknowledged in the notes. I must mention our special gratitude to scholar-collector Wynyard Wilkinson for his generosity in sharing his knowledge and information with us; I thank him too for his contribution to this volume. At Columbia University, I would like to thank the staff of the Department of Art History & Archaeology, and its associated Visual Resource Center for their ready and willing cooperation. I would like to express my appreciation to Katherine Kasdorf, Dipti Khera, Risha Lee, Neeraja Poddar, Anna Seastrand, Yuthika Sharma, and Laura Weinstein for help with the initial and essential process of cataloguing the silver; special thanks go to Dipti Khera and Yuthika Sharma for the essays they have contributed to this volume. I must acknowledge the expertise of Sarah Elliston Weiner, director of Columbia University’s Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Gallery, and her staff, who are responsible for the elegant mounting of the exhibition. Photographer Richard Goodbody’s specialised handling of the reflective properties of silver, together with John Morgan’s expert preparation of the photographs for publication was crucial in the presentation of this material. And finally, my thanks go to Carmen Kagal and Paulomi Shah at Mapin Publishing for their expert and elegant production of this book.