Not currently on display at the V&A

Cup

1800-1895 (made)
Place of origin

The cup was made in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe. Although agate is a tough and durable material, when it is worked to a fine edge or thickness it is vulnerable to damage when subjected to stress or impact.
Khambhat is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Khambhat and was once an important trading centre for the region but this has waned as the harbour silted up. Despite having no stone deposits of its own, Khambhat is renowned for the craft of agate-working and especially bead-making, with the raw materials coming from more distant sources.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Agate, cut and polished using abrasives and abrasive-charged tools, most probably fashioned using a bow-driven lathe.
Brief description
Cup, circular, short foot with a concave recess and a flared rim, translucent brown agate, Cambay India, 19th century
Physical description
A cup of circular form with a wall of even thickness and having a short foot with a concave recess and a flared rim. It has been skillfully fashioned in translucent, brown agate with occasional darker markings and it has a very fine polish. There is a short crack situated centrally in the base.
Dimensions
  • 735 1903 diameter: 98.60 to 99.85mm
  • 735 1903 height: 41.5 to 43.1mm
  • 735 1903 depth: 35.3 to 35.6mm (Note: Depth from the rim, at the centre)
  • 735 1903 thickness: 1.3 to 2.2mm (Note: Thickness of the wall at the rim)
  • 735 1903 diameter: 43.8 to 44.1mm (Note: Diameter of the foot)
  • 735 1903 depth: 5.8 to 6.0mm (Note: Depth of the foot recess)
Dimensions vary with orientation
Credit line
W. H. Cope Bequest
Object history
This cup was fashioned in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century. It was acquired by William Henry Cope Esq. who valued it, together with a second similar cup, at £22-1s. He bequeathed it to the museum in 1903.
Summary
The cup was made in Cambay (Khambhat), India in the 19th century with most of the fashioning process involving a combination of hand-working and turning on a bow-driven lathe. Although agate is a tough and durable material, when it is worked to a fine edge or thickness it is vulnerable to damage when subjected to stress or impact.
Khambhat is situated at the northern end of the Gulf of Khambhat and was once an important trading centre for the region but this has waned as the harbour silted up. Despite having no stone deposits of its own, Khambhat is renowned for the craft of agate-working and especially bead-making, with the raw materials coming from more distant sources.
Collection
Accession number
735-1903

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest