Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

A bloodstone seal ring with Mughal Emperor inscription, the rectangular bloodstone panel inscribed in Arabic, collet set in yellow precious metal to plain shank, bloodstone measures 24.5mm x 18.5mm. £500-700

The bloodstone seal was seen and interpreted by James Allen in 2002 when Keeper of Asian Art at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

The inscription reads “Iqbàl al-Dowla, Dilàwar al-Mullé, Major Bagshaw(e), Ràsileh Jang Bahàdur 1221 (A.H.)”. Mr Allen’s notes confirm “the seal follows the formal order of Mughal titles, the British being a kind of honorary Muslims! [...]. Such titles, granted by the font of honours, the Mughal emperor and had been current at least since the time of Clive”.

The Mughal calendar year 1221 translates to March 1806 - March 1807 in the Gregorian calendar. Shah Alam II ruled the Mughal empire from December 1759 until November 1806. From November 1806 until September 1837 Akbar Shah II was Mughal emperor, although he is considered a titular figurehead under British rule.

Captain Major Robert Morris Bagshaw (1769-1807) of the 2nd battalion, 17th Bengal Native Infantry, died on 26th February 1807. He is interred in the largest of four tombs in plot 28 of the European cemetery in Karnal, near Delhi. He was promoted from captain to major on 14th November 1805.