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An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 1
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 2
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 3
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 4
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 5
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 6
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 7
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 8
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 9
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 10
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 11
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 12
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 13
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 14
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 15
An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica South India, mid-19th Century(7) image 16
Lot 236

An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica
South India, mid-19th Century
(7)

Amended
22 May 2025, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £4,864 inc. premium

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An album of 122 paintings on mica, depicting tradespeople, religious devotees and other figures, with six further framed paintings on mica
South India, mid-19th Century

gouache on mica, mounted two per folio, European binding of gilt leather; six framed paintings with contemporary handwritten labels pasted to backboards
album paintings 110 x 75 mm.; album 260 x 205 mm.; framed paintings 125 x 85 mm. (with frame)(7)

Footnotes

Provenance
Private UK collection until 2004.
The album, with a map and prints dealer, Hay-on-Wye, UK, 2004.
Private UK collection until 2024.
Framed paintings, acquired in the UK art market, 2024.


An extensive collection of portraits, the majority of which portray tradesmen and their wives, as well as the various castes.

‌The following list of paintings (a pair of paintings on each folio in the album) are identified by captions written in English (those marked * the paintings are missing):
f. 1. Bheestie or Watercarrier & Wife*
f. 2. Pagoda Brahmin & Wife*
f. 3. Rajah Caste & Wife*
f. 4. Gentoo Weaver & Wife*
f. 5. A Conjurer & Wife*
f. 6. Reddy Caste & Wife*
f. 7. A Fortune teller & Wife*
f. 8. A Jugler & Wife*
f. 9. [TO BE READ]*
f. 10. Brahmin & Wife*
f. 11. Massalehy & Wife
f. 12. Dhobee or Washerman & Wife
f. 13. A Wrestler & Wife
f. 14. Mahratta Tailor & Wife
f. 15. A Carpenter & Wife
f. 16. Brahmin & Wife
f. 17. Bangle dealer & Wife
f. 18. Tootian Caste & Wife
f. 19. A Potter & Wife
f. 20. Coomaly Merchant & Wife
f. 21. Vellaler Caste & Wife
f. 22. A Jugler & Wife
f. 23. Byragee / Sanasee
f. 24. A Shoemaker & Wife
f. 25. A Benares Brahmin & Wife
f. 26. A Mahratta Shoemaker & Wife
f. 27. A Poojaree & Assistant
f. 28. Teerpathy thasree (?) & Assistant
f. 29. A Bird Catcher & Wife
f. 30. A Pandaram & Wife
f. 31. Vettian Caste & Wife
f. 32. A Parsee & Wife
f. 33. A Lubbee Merchant & Wife
f. 34. A Watchman & Wife
f. 35. A Sweeper & Wife
f. 36. A Salt Manufacturer & Wife
f. 37. A Hurkaru or Messenger & Wife
f. 38. A Tambiran & Assistant
f. 39. A Weaver & Wife
f. 40. A Malially (?) & Wife
f. 41. A Goldsmith & Wife
f. 42. A Canady Caste & Wife
f. 43. A Basket maker & Wife
f. 44. A Blacksmith & Wife
f. 45. A Ploughman & Wife
f. 46. Marawa Caste & Wife
f. 47. A Fisherman & Wife
f. 48. Thasaree Beggar & Wife
f. 49. Toddy drawer & Wife
f. 50. Moochee Caste & Wife
f. 51. A Gentoo Butler & Wife
f. 52. Hooka burdan & Wife
f. 53. Malabar Brahmin & Wife
f. 54. A Stone Cutter & Wife
f. 55. Oilmonger & Wife
f. 56. Cullery Caste & Wife
f. 57. A Sherpherd & Wife*
f. 58. A Gentoo barber & Wife
f. 59. Musician & Moor Dancing girl
f. 60. Musician & Gentoo Dancing girl
f. 61. A Beggar & Wife
f. 62. A Sawthary (?) Beggar & Wife
f. 63. A Gozeratee & Wife
f. 64. A Gentoo Brahmin & Wife
f. 65. A Hawk feeder & Wife
f. 66. A Chobder & Wife
f. 67. Hindoo & Wife
f. 68. A Patan & Wife
f. 69. A Fakeer & Wife
f. 70. A Rajpoot & Wife
f. 71. [Folio missing]
f. 72. A Mahratta Rajah & Wife
f. [73]. [A priest & wife]


All but one folio (f. 73) numbered and captioned with inscriptions in English; paintings missing from ff. 1-10, 57; f. 71 is missing.

The six separate paintings are captioned on the reverse as follows: Nabob; Vazier; Vazier's Wife; Bearer; Castanet Player to a Dancing Girl; A Bagahir Peon.

Saleroom notices

Please note that in the list of inscriptions in the album (though the painting in this case is now missing), no. 9 should read: 'A Tank Digger and Wife'.

Additional information