Bidspirit auction | A MUGHAL JADE AND GOLD

A MUGHAL JADE AND GOLD CALLIGRAPHIC PLAQUE, 19TH CENTURY OR LATER. - A decorative lobed plaque carved from a single piece of pale green nephrite jade. The centre features an inlaid ogival gold panel engraved with a Quranic inscription in fluid Arabic calligraphy. The text contains a verse from Surah Al-Imran (3:103): ”Wa’tasimu bi-hablillahi jami’an wala tafarraqu”, which translates as ”And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided”. The calligraphy is interspersed with small engraved floral or star-shaped motifs. Set into the jade body are four circular cabochon red stones, likely rubies or spinels, each secured within raised kundan-style gold collet settings at the cardinal points. The plaque is of a scalloped cloud-shape form with rectangular protrusions on the horizontal axis, suggesting its use as a belt fitting, pendant, or furniture mount. The craftsmanship and material combination are characteristic of 18th or 19th-century Mughal Indian lapidary traditions. Approximately 7.1 x 5.1cm