Mastery of Design: The Indian Tiara, pre-1901

Delhi Durbar Tiara
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Rubies, diamonds and pearls scintillate from the twelve gold, tear-shaped sections of this tiara.  The sections rise from a band of gold and pearls.

In true Indian style of the Nineteenth Century, the reverse of the twelve crests are adorned with portraits of enamel liked by a foliate pattern of brilliant colors.

Made in India for Queen Victoria, this tiara signifies Her Majesty's role as Empress of India.  Though Victoria did not attend her Delhi Durbar, the ceremony wherein she was named Empress, she did receive this magnificent piece as a symbol of this accession.  

After Victoria's death, the tiara was hidden away.  Successive Queens Alexandra and Mary wore different tiaras, Mary especially having one created for her own Durbar.  However, it was Queen Mary who saw that this treasure was not adapted or changed, a fate which often befell such pieces.  Mary, in 1924, saw that the tiara was placed among the Indian Collection which belongs to the Crown as part of the Royal Collection.  Because of this, the tiara has been restored and, as of 2013, is on display at the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

Friday Fun: Pulcinella e il prosciutto di Molfetta

Italian puppets. Pulcinella. Ham. It’s the perfect video for this week.  You'll find out why on Monday.  

I’ll let you figure out what’s going on.  I don't really know either.

Mr. Punch's Puzzles: The Riddle of the Week

Once, again, Mr. Punch, with my help, is offering up a true Victorian riddle.  The first person to answer correctly--by posting in the comments--will receive public congratulations.  Some week, I may offer a nifty prize from our online store.  But, this week, I don't feel like it.

So, here's this week's riddle.  We ask that you don't Google the answer.  Mr. Punch would not find that sporting at all.  Give it a shot and see what you can come up with.  Here we go... No cheating...

My friend and I from home did part,
Of whom I had some way the start:
So on we ran, ten miles or more,
And I same distance was before:
Now tell me how that this could be,
As I ran twice as fast as he?

AND...the answer is...

The fore-wheel of a coach.

And, I'm most pleased to announce we have winners (of nothing).  ANGELO was the first to put the correct answer!  Hooray for you, Angelo!  And, GENE followed next.  Good for you both!  Many thanks to all who answered.  As always, it was a most amusing time!  Come back next Friday for another of Mr. Punch's Puzzles!

Mr. Punch wants you to always know “the way to do it,” so why not check out our “That’s the way to do it!” products which are available only at our online store.  

Drawing of the Day: "Capsize," 18th C.

"Capsize -- To Upset or Turn Over Anything"
Eighteenth Century
The George Speaight Archive
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This comic illustration from the Eighteenth Century is entitled “Capsize: - To Upset or Turn Over Anything.”

Now part of the George Speaight Archive at the V&A, this illustration depicts a fit-up which has been overturned as the puppeteer is being attacked by a clearly disgruntled audience member.

The following caption accompanies the scene:

'There, I told you I'de ge you von/ if I cotebed you making game/ o'me agin' 

'Vy they ar'always taking us off'

I’m not sure what this all means from a satirical standpoint, but we get the gist of it.  As Mr. Punch is often the voice of the people and makes his fun of political or social newsmakers, the attacker  here must surely have taken umbrage at being the "punch line."

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 241

Chapter 241 

The Man in the Moon 



“Mrs. Pepper would skin us like chickens.” Jenny whispered as she and Ethel paused at the padded, fabric-covered swinging door which separated them from the gleaming splendor of the foyer of No. 65 Belgrave Square.

“She ain’t never gonna know.” Ethel responded softly. “What’re you like? Are ya too scared to even open the door.”

“I don’t see you pushin’ it open.” Jenny smiled.

“There.” Ethel smirked, gently giving the door a shove.

Both sets of eyes widened as they glanced at the opulent entry hall. Even in the dark—with just the moonlight streaming through the glass dome which surmounted the four arcs of the central staircase, the fanlight above the door to the vestibule and the windows which flanked the front door--the room glittered and shone.

“Cor!” Ethel sighed as she led Jenny by the hand into the room. “I know I seen it a few times before, but, I can’t get it in me head that this is our house.”

“It ain’t, that’s why.” Jenny replied quietly.

“Sure it is. We live here, don’t we?”

“We work underneath it and we sleep above it.” Jenny shrugged. “And, even that ain’t ours.”

“The Duke said we should consider this our home, too. This and the Hall in Yorkshire and that castle on the moors.” Ethel frowned.

“Then, why ain’t we allowed in here nor any of the reception rooms?” Jenny smiled.

“That ain’t the Duke’s doin’. That’s Mr. Speaight and Mrs. Pepper what won’t let us come here. Remember, the Duke and Dr. Halifax ‘ave asked us to come upstairs ‘fore.”

“Yeah.” Jenny nodded. “They ‘ave. Us. A kitchen maid and a scullery.” She shook her head. “Even let us wear his mama’s jewels at the ball.”

“That’s why we gotta do this.” Ethel answered.

They both paused, frozen in place, as they heard a noise above them.

Slowly, the two looked up, their gazes caressing the ovoid spiral of the stairs, looking past the glimmer of the chandeliers—dripping with prisms—and up to the glass dome. Ethel blinked. She could see the moon. She could see the moon from inside the house! Simply by looking up at the ceiling. She’d never been to the palace, like the Duke and the doctor had, but she imagined that even that wasn’t as grand as their very own home.

“It were nothin’” Jenny said with relief. “Just a noise. Maybe Gamilla walking the baby to sleep up in the nursery.”

“I think it were the Man in the Moon.” Ethel smiled, still looking up. “He’s watchin’ us.”

“You’re daft.” Jenny shook her head. “Now, come on. You know Charles ain’t gonna be up with Gerard all night. Remember? The Duke told him when he finished up chattin’ with Gerry, he’s to come down and watch the ‘all.”

“I know it.” Ethel replied irritably.

“Where’s the mornin’ room? You said that’s where the garden door is.”

“It’s this one.” Ethel pointed to a tall, gilt-mahogany door, shadowed by the curve of the balcony.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” Ethel nodded. “Once when Vi was havin’…when Vi couldn’t work…Mr. Speaight sent me up to do the grates.”

“Right.”

They tiptoed to the door and Ethel gently opened it.

“Say…” Jenny hissed in awe.

“This is where they take breakfast.”

“I know it,” Jenny nodded, she turned in place to examine the dim room.

“Come on, we ain’t on the grand tour.” Ethel snorted. “There’s the garden door.”

“Ethel,” Jenny took her friend’s arm. “Are you sure ‘bout this?”

“We ain’t gonna talk ‘bout it all ‘gain, are we?”

“No…it’s just. I don’t even know where to go once we get outta the garden.”

“I do.” Ethel said. “Just follow me.”

“But, it’s…” Jenny began.

“You can stay here, Jenny. If you wanna be a coward.”

“I ain’t a coward. But, it ain’t no place for girls like us—the night.”

“Nothin’s gonna happen.” Ethel smiled softly.

“How can you be sure?”

“We got the Man in the Moon watchin’ us.” Ethel repeated.





Did you miss Chapters 1-240 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 242.

Print of the Day: Four Punchinellos Embracing a Female

Four Punchinellos Embracing a Female
Reproduction, 1953 of an original by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
The Harry Beard Collection at:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We have looked at several drawings by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and his family in the past. These drawings depicted one of Tiepolo’s favorite subjects—Punchinello. To be exact…Punchinellos, many, humpy-backed Punchinellos--up to no good.

Here, dating to 1953 (the year of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II), we see a reproduction of a pen and grey wash image in which four Punchinellos are embracing a female. Clearly this is a reproduction of one of the Eighteenth Century words of Tiepolo.

All of the plucky Punchinellos are dressed identically in tall, conical hats and loose fitting tunics and trousers which are belted at the waist. The object of their ominous affections wears an equally tall hat trimmed with lace at the brim and a loose belted dress with collar.

We all know how much I like Punchinellos. Many live here with me. However, I don’t really think I’d like to be embraced by them. Who knows what they'd do to a person?

Object of the Day: A Wonderful Theobald and Co. Magic Lantern Slide

This "Object of the Day" may appear familiar to some of you.  If it does, that's because I've shared it with you before in June of last year.  Next week, I'll be sharing with you a complete set of different antique magic lantern slides depicting Punch and his pals which I received for my birthday last December.  And, then, the following week, I'll be sharing with you a very special slide which was given to me for Christmas.

This week has not been at all what I'd planned, between recovering from the dreadful flu, power outages and work.  And, so, the end of it leaves me a little too shaky in the hands to confidently handle thin pieces of cherished antique glass.

But, next week...you'll see some really cool slides.  In the meantime, let's revisit how my family preserves such antique magic lantern slides.

This image from the V&A shows the same slide that I acquired for my collection.

Regular readers know of my fascination with a particular set of artifacts at the V&A—a set of glass magic lantern slides made in the late Nineteenth Century by Theobald & Company which depict scenes from the Punch & Judy tradition. I adore these slides! A few months ago, I had an opportunity to purchase a complete set and missed out on it. I’m still kicking myself over it. Recently, my mom and dad gave me one from the set which they found online—along with three other assorted magic lantern slides. The slide that they found is the one featuring Mr. Punch’s meeting with Joey the Clown. It’s really quite adorable. The image above is the same slide from the V&A. I’ve shared this image since it’s nearly impossible to take a good picture of a glass slide without a professional set-up.

So, now I had the slide. But, what to do with it? How could we show it off in the best way? Well, my father devised a plan to build a lightbox into which the slide would fit. A nightlight bulb from within would illuminate the slide. I had no idea how he’s go about this, but he’s much smarter about these things than I, so I trusted him. And, he did an excellent job! He had the idea to make the box in the image of a traditional Punch & Judy fit-up. So, I selected suitable colors and, then, I went about painting it for him. Here’s the finished result. I’m quite pleased with it! It sits on a dusty turquoise base and little gold feet, and Mr. Punch and Joey just glow happily into the night. 

Forgive the blown-out pictures.  When you're trying to take a picture of something that lights up, it's rather difficult.

The text which would have accompanied this slide originally read:

Hullo! here’s my friend the clown. What cheer, Joey, what a mouth you have got to be sure. Don’t open it any wider, or I might fall down and hurt myself. 

Joey: Oh, Mr. Punch, you’re in for it. They say you’ve killed your baby. I saw the beadle coming down the street. 

Punch: Oh dear, oh dear, whatever shall I do. I say, Joey, you go and tell him I’m not at home, say I’m ill, say I’m busy, say anything, but keep him off.

Now…I need the other eleven.