A pair of Anglo-Indian carved Ivory orb ornaments Murshidabad, late 18th century

the spherical tops surmounted by carved with foliage and surmounted by a baluster finial, banded with a Greek key pattern with applied leaf and paterae ornament, with gadroon carving below, on a turned bead-carved socle, raised on a triform athenienne ornamented with ribbons and garlands of husks to the top with trailing husks to the sides, with a classical urn to the interior, raised on winged sphinxes, on bead-carved plinths

By repute : Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). Given by him to his nephew Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, (1808-1873), who married Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales in 1853 and who also became Emperor Napoleon III in 1853. Subsequently acquired by Charles F. Lumb who acquired the yacht, `Thistle', circa 1914 which had belonged to Empress Eugènie. The yacht was presented by Mr Lumb to the Admiralty for service in the First World War, the furnishings including the ivory orb ornaments being returned to Mr Lumb. They passed to Charles Lumb`s daughter, Mrs Margarita E.Gordon. The reputed provenance  is based on a letter written by Mrs Gordon which describes the provenance. One sold anonymously Philips, London 12th February 1980, lot 136. The other given by Mr Lumb to Miss Eleonora Randolph Seals, Boston, Massachusetts. Both acquired by Michael Hogg, London and then sold to S. Jon Gerstenfeld.

Illustrated Edward Lennox-Boyd, Masterpieces of English Furniture, The Gerstenfeld Collection, 1998, London, pl.61, p.222. pl. and pl.108, p.143.

Comparative Literature

N. Goodison, `William Chambers`s Furniture', Journal of the Furniture History Society, 1990, vol. XXVI, p.67-89.

Amin Jaffer, Furniture from British India and Ceylon, A Catalogue of the Collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum, 2001, pp.238-261.  

These beautifully carved orbs are in extremely good overall condition. Both have characteristic minor age cracks to the orbs themselves. On one orb ornament, the front feet of one sphinx have been broken and restored. One small section of leaf-carving on one sphinx has also been restored. On the other orb, one foot from one sphinx is chipped and missing. One leaf- carving from a sphinx is missing. The corner of the tripod is cracked.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Ivory Carving in Murshidabad

The present exquisite ivory orbs and candelabra were almost certainly carved in the late 18^th century in Murshidabad, North East India, in the province of Bengal. Murshidabad takes its name from the Nawab Murshid Quilui Khan, the Mughal Governor of Bengal who in the early 18^th century  moved the capital of Bengal from Dacca to Murshidabad, renaming the city after himself. The city strategically positioned for trading on the Hooghly river rapidly became a centre of political power and was a well-positioned artery of communication between northern India and the European settlements along the river which was also lead to Calcutta becoming a major British settlement in that region.  

It is not known for certain how Murshidabad became a centre for ivory carving. One theory is that the industry started in the early 18^th century and that the carvers themselves were hereditary image-makers of the Baskar caste who migrated there from Sylhet in response to the new court and capital. Sylhet  itself is noted as a centre of ivory carving, established as early as 11^th century and eastern India has been thought of as a base for craftsmen for carving pieces of exceptional quality for royal consumption. The other theory is that ivory was first worked at Murshidbad by a Delhi carver and that his work was copied by a locally based Bhaskar and his son, Tulsi Khatumbar, the latter being extremely proficient and who became appointed to the Nawab. The two apprentices that he engaged, Manick Bhaskar and  Ram Kishore Bhasker apparently became highly proficient and through their descendants, the craft became established in the area. The river of course enabled trade to develop with Europeans and would allow such objects as the present lots to reach a wider  market appreciative of items of great quality.      

The form of both the candelabra and orbs is very European in design. The design of the orbs shows the influences of Sir William Chambers ( 1726-1796) architect to King George III.  In particular the athenienne form of the base raised on winged sphinxes, and  the swagged husks can be seen in a design for a clock case by Chambers for an eight day clock at Windsor Castle, shown illustrated in John Harris, Sir William Chambers, Knight of the Polar Star, London, 1970, pl.129.

The candelabra show much of the vocabulary of neo-classical ornament seen in the designs of Robert Adam popularised and promoted by various publications which included Robert and James Adam, Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam (in 1773-1778 and 1779) and publication of furniture designs by Sheraton in his `The Cabinet and Upholster`s Drawing Book, of 1793. It seems that  the development and increasingly sophisticated forms developed from 1790s onwards when the furniture and objects seems to have followed western models more closely suggesting that the local carvers had developed a greater understanding of European furniture and object forms. Murshibad craftsmen were also producing figurines based on European porcelain examples and the present orbs also show these influences.

A pair of candelabra related to lot 34 is illustrated Amin Jaffer, Furniture from British India and Ceylon, A catalogue of the collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum,  2001, fig. 102.      

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and Emperor Napoleon III

In the late 18^th century the French Emperor, Napoleon I ( 1769-1821) carried out extensive military and naval campaigns in and around Egypt. These Egyptian campaigns were to influence the decorative arts throughout Europe and motifs from ancient Egypt appeared in many designs for furniture and associated objects at this time and in the early 19th century. Egyptian motifs can be seen in the sphinx supports in the orb ornaments which reflect this interest.  It is quite possible that the orbs and candelabra could have been acquired by or presented to Napoleon I in recognition of these campaigns. Both pairs of items were made at the time when his power was rising and would have been perceived as an appropriate gift.

By repute these pieces were given by Napoleon I to his nephew, the future Emperor Napoleon III, (1808-1873). The circumstances of the gift or acquisition are not known but could conceivably have been made immediately before Napoleon I`s exile in 1815 to St Helena. Under Emperor Napoleon I, the residences of the court included the Palace of Compiègne and also the Palace of Malmaison. Both of these palaces were to become residences of Napoleon III. In the case of the Palace of Compiègne, the contents of the palace had been entirely dispersed during the revolution and on the orders of Napoleon I, the palace had been re-furbished. Much of the new furnishings had remained in situ from 1811 until  1855, when the palace was used again by the French Court. As items dating from Napoleon I`s era were still in the Palace, the present lots might also have been acquired by Napoleon III at this time.

Malmaison had been bought bought by Empress Josephine in 1797 on the strength of funds from Napoleon`s Egyptian campaigns and improved by her and was occupied by Napoleon until his defeat at Waterloo and exile to Elba and then Saint Helena. Malmaison was subsequently purchased by Napoleon III in 1861 and it is possible that some original contents remained and the present ivories acquired then.

Forced into exile in 1870 and joined by her husband six months later, the Empress Eugènie had left with little more than the clothes she stood up in. The Emperor Naploeon III joined her six months later following six months in Germany as a prisoner following the Franco-Prussian war. The Empress lived in exile in a rented house called Camden Place, Chislehurst and eventually was allowed to return to France, which she did from time to time to her villa at Cap-Martin, Biarritz, on the agreement that she would not be involved with any political activity. She also owned Thistle (see fig. 1) at this period and it is therefore possible that the present lots were placed on the yacht on one of these Biarritz visits. The Empress continued to reside in England where she eventually died in 1920.

Whatever the circumstances of the acquisition of the present ivories, it seems entirely plausible that they could have belonged to Napoleon I. They also demonstrate Napoleon III`s concept of monarchy as a supporter of historic craft and promoter of the trade in luxury goods and would have also been objects that would have appealed both to him personally and to his Empress, Eugènie. During their eventful lives they would certainly have had opportunities to have acquired them and the provenance therefore does seem entirely plausible.

 

For comparison see Sotheby`s London, Arts of Europe, 4^th December 2012, lot 450, a Murshidabad ivory candlestick of griffin form, sold £62,000.