Inventory no.: 2601

Nepalese Jewelled Breast Plate

SOLD

Gem-Inset Gilded Copper Breast Plate (Suta or Konchi)

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

18th-19th century

width of plate: 27cm, height of plate: 16.5cm, weight: 290g

This impressive breast plate of crescent form, incorporates pierced, gilded (gold plated) copper in scrolling form to the front, incorporating three cloud-like roundels, the central one of which comprises a horned dragon inset with dozens of turquoise cabochons, and one on either side, each of which features a kala mask inset with coral and turquoise cabochons.

The plate is edged with a border of a row of green turquoise cabochons and a row of ruby cabochons.

The reverse of the plate comprises a plain, hammered copper sheet.

The plate is suspended from a metal chain.

The breastplate might have been worn as a necklace in its own right, or could have been attached from a crown and worn as a breast plate perhaps for use by a member of the Rana aristocracy.

See Gabriel (1999, p. 24) for a related breastplate attributed to the late 18th century, and Clarke (2004, p. 59) for a breastplate worn suspended from a crown, attributed to the 18th or 19th centuries.

The plate has an excellent patina; it clearly has significant age. There are many old losses to the stones; no attempt has been made to replace them.

References

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

Gabriel, H.,

Jewelry of Nepal, Thames & Hudson, 1999.

Provenance

Scottish art market

Inventory no.: 2601

SOLD

A Nepalese ceremonial crown dating to around 1850 that is currently on display in the British Museum. The breast plate here might have been worn in conjunction with such a crown.