A COMMEMORATIVE BROCADED SILK HANGING FOR QUEEN VICTORIA'S JUBILEE

The square of ivory silk brocaded in metallic threads with magenta silk supplementary weft with an Indian insignia of the lion and the bull holding a water lota, above the scales of justice, with a dedication to H. M. Victoria R. above, and the date 1896 beneath, with pairs of parrots in the scrolling central medallion, repeating rows of brocaded circles with profiles of Queen Victoria facing right, the lower section reading MAKER. RANCHOR. LALDAS BAKRI.AHMEDABAD, within a heavily brocaded border, set within narrow gold, red, and green chevron bands, metallic thread fringe wound around a silk core, 66.5cm x 66.5cm, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, dated 1896.

The diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria was officially celebrated on 22 June 1897 to mark the occasion of the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. However, it was common to produce commemorative hangings ahead of such momentous celebrations. The Empress of India, who never visited the country, was much celebrated by the Royal Houses of India – the bonds between them and Britain having been largely reinforced since the Mutiny of 1857.