A group of six illuminated manuscript letters in Persian, five of them from two Sikh rulers, Mahendra Singh of Patiala (reg. 1862-76) and Bhagwan Singh of Nabha (reg. 1864-71), addressed to the British Governor-General and the Commander-in-Chief, and presenting envoys to them

Punjab, Patiala and Nabha, dated between 1860 and 1868

(6)

Footnotes

Provenance
Private UK collection: acquired at a UK auction between approximately 2010 and 2015.


The letters are as follows:

1. 10 lines of text, interspersed with gold diamonds, large seal impression at lower right, 600 x 240 mm.
A letter from Mahendra Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, presenting Jagdish Singh, Member of the Council of Regency, and Hakim 'Abd al-Nabi Khan Mir Munshi, who are to convey good wishes to the Governor-General (not named, but at this time would have been John Lawrence) and to the Commander-in-Chief (who at the time would have been William Mansfield), dated Vikram Samvat 1924/8 July 1867.

The large seal impression reads: farzand-i khass-i dawlat-i inglisiya mansur-i zaman amir al-umara' maharaja-dihraj rajshir sri maharaja-yi rajagan mahindar singh mahindar bahadur 1919, 'Special Son of the English State, the Victorious of the Age, Commander of Commanders, Supreme Maharaja, Rajshir Sri Maharaja of Rajas, Mahendra Singh Mahendra Bahadur 1919/1862'.

2. 13 lines of text, interspersed with gold diamonds, large seal impression at lower right, 510 x 225 mm.
A letter from Mahendra Singh, Maharaja of Patiala to unnamed high official(s), presenting Hakim 'Abd al-Nabi Khan Mir Munshi, Member of the Council of Regency, and the Diwan (Chief Financial Officer) Sayyid Imdad 'Ali, who are to convey good wishes, dated VS 1925/19th August 1867. The seal impression is the same as no. 1.

3. 14 lines of text, interspersed with small gold diamonds, seal impression at lower right, 610 x 250 mm.
A letter from Mahendra Singh, ruler of Patiala, presenting Hakim 'Abd al-Nabi Khan Mir Munshi, Member of the Council of Regency, and the Diwan Sayyid Imdad 'Ali, who are to convey good wishes to a military commander (sipahsalar), dated VS 1925/19th August 1868. The seal impression is the same as no. 1.

4. 8 lines of text, interspersed with gold diamonds, large seal impression at lower right, 580 x 230 mm.
A letter from Bhagwan Singh, ruler of Nabha, to unnamed high official(s), presenting Bakhtawar Singh and Munshi [...], who are to convey good wishes, dated 26th July 1866. The seal impression reads: farzand-i arjumand-i 'aqidat-paywand-i dawlat-i inglisiya barar bans sarmur bhagwan singh malwendra bahadur julus 1920, 'The Precious Son, the Loyal to the English State, of Barar Lineage, the Crowned, Bhagwan Singh Malwendra Bahadur. Enthronement 1920/1864'.

5. 12 lines of text, gold-sprinkled paper, interspersed with gold diamonds and stylised floral sprays, seal impression and brief note in English at lower right, 640 x 250 mm.
A letter from Bhagwan Singh, ruler of Nabha, to unnamed high official(s), presenting Bakhtawar Singh and Munshi [...], who are to convey good wishes, dated VS 1923/26th July 1866. The seal impression is the same as no. 3.

6. 21 lines of text, interspersed with gold dots and floral sprays, small seal impression at lower right together with further text written diagonally, 560 x 245 mm., in blue paper envelope with Persian address.
A letter addressed to Sir William Mansfield, the Commander of the British Army, in response to a cordial letter dated 15 Shawwal 1281/13th March 1860, expressing hope for future friendship, seal impression of a certain 'Ali Murad, dated AH 1260/AD 1844-45.