Gajredar Silver Bracelet, India

Silver Gajredar Bracelet

Rajasthan, India

19th–early 20th century

diameter: 8.3cm, weight: 250g

This flexible bracelet of high-grade silver is noticeably heavy in the hand. It comprises seven main hinged triangular sections covered in silver spheres (gajre) each rigidly attached by means of a silver wire to the body of the bracelet. According to Utracht (1997, p. 254), the work is known as moti ke gajre guchchha. The spheres are meant to resemble small pearls and are based on bracelets made of enamelled gold and seed pearls in this form which were made in Rajasthan in the nineteenth century. (See Bala Krishnan, 1999, p. 146, for an example.) The clusters of seed pearls used in the more extravagant versions of this bracelet were said to emulate bunched jasmine buds.

The bracelet opens by means of a pin that is pulled out to release a hinge.

The interior appears to have a maker’s or retailer’s mark.

The bracelet has noticeable age. It was acquired in the UK and almost certainly has been in the UK since colonial times.

References

Bala Krishnan, U.R., & M.S. Kumar, Dance of the Peacock: Jewellery Traditions of India, India Book House Ltd, 1999.

Barnard, N., Indian Jewellery, V&A Publishing, 2008.

Utracht, O., Traditional Jewelry of India, Thames & Hudson, 1997.

Provenance:  UK art market

Inventory no.: 1384

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