A HEAVILY BEJEWELLED NAYA CHAND - NIYAM COMPOSITE PENDANT WITH DIAMONDS IN PACHCHIKAM SETTING
Possibly Gujarat, Western India, late 19th century

AN IMPRESSIVE HEAVILY BEJEWELLED NAYA CHAND - NIYAM COMPOSITE PENDANT WITH DIAMONDS IN PACHCHIKAM SETTING
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE LONDON COLLECTOR
Possibly Gujarat, Western India, late 19th century

Made of five different components joint at the back through an invisible sliding cross-like reticulate, designed as a traditional naya chand (crescent moon, also hilal) - niyam (flower) pendant very much en vogue throughout the Mughal era, with three diamond-set roundels at the top and sides, one surmounted by an untested bulbous ruby bead, and an unfaceted, drop-like carved emerald charm at the bottom, the centre of the niyam flower section irradiating five linear sprays set with narrow baguette rubies, the faceted diamonds covering the rest of the pendant's front set in a traditional Gujarati pachchikam (claw-like silver) setting, the reverse with a parcel-gilt sheet incised with dense vegetal meanderings, interlocking foliage, and floral blossoms, in a padded, velvet-lined presentation case with tooled green leather, the pendant 9.8cm x 7cm at widest points, the case 13.5cm x 10.5cm.

In the history of Indian jewellery, the Mughal period remains a pivotal moment of maximal experimentation and extravagance, an era rich in developments and innovative juxtapositions. It is exactly at this time that several necklaces started incorporating long plaque-like pendants in their centres, often made of several individual adornments joint together. The naya chand - niyam and chand tara designs are classical examples of this trend. The first type usually incorporates a crescent moon-shaped pendant, either single or double, surmounted by a flower-shaped pendant with cabochon-cut gemstones (or glass); the latter has instead a crescent moon surmounted by a star (Oppi Untracht, Traditional Jewelry of India, 1997, reprinted 2008, pp. 353 - 354). The Leitmotiv of the crescent is widely present in Indian jewellery across the Subcontinent, acting as an auspicious and protective symbol with several meanings, and it is not a prerogative of a specific social group or faith (for a North Indian example, please see Treasures of the Mughals and the Maharajas: the Al-Thani Collection, exhibition catalogue, 2017, cat. 175, pp. 256 - 257). The composite and modular nature of these pendants makes them easier to produce but also ideal to wear in different forms, fashion, and occasions, creating an evergreen piece of personal adornment.

To a degree, their overall design and style are reminiscent of European military decorations and royal favours, which possibly sparked their seminal development in India. In the specific case of the present lot, the connection with European adornments does not end there. In fact, the faceted diamonds on the front of our pendant are set in a specific technique called pachchikam, a form of claw-like silver setting which enables encasing uncut gemstones and glass in a Western design, departing from the more traditional gold foil kundan setting. Pachchikam is an Indian jewellery craft originating in the region of Kutch in the Western Indian state of Gujarat, the home of exquisite silverware production. The term derives from ‘pachchigar’ which means ‘goldsmith' in the local bhasha (language, dialect). Its history is not well-researched or documented, therefore its origins are still unclear, but some early examples can be traced back to similar jewellery designs worn by the European nobility in the 16th century. It is likely that having admired these creations on their European counterparts, Indian noblemen requested their jewellers to produce analogous pieces, transforming them extensively with a local flare. In pachchikam settings, the first step is making a silver casing, which is then hollowed with grooves. The uncut gemstones and glasswork are then affixed and kept in these grooves thanks to tiny metal claws. The use of silver served a multitude of purposes: firstly, it was cheaper than gold; secondly, it was extremely malleable, making it easier to shape; but lastly, its close resemblance to platinum gave it that final Western touch so craved by Indians, especially in the late 19th century, when most of the members of prominent royal courts like the Nizams and Patialas became fond clients of European jewellery maisons like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.

For an analogous diamond-set pachchikam floral pendant and necklace attributed to Western India and dated late 19th century, please see Usha R. Bala Krishnan and Meera Sushil Kumar, Dance of the Peacock: Jewellery Traditions of India, 1999, reprinted 2010, cat. 241, p. 165.

Dimensions: the pendant 9.8cm x 7cm at widest points