- Museum number
- 1983,0102.1
- Description
-
Reliquary cross and chain; enamelled gold set with pearls and gemstones. The interior is now empty, the lid set with four cabochon rubies, four table-cut diamonds, a large rectangular table-cut stone (possibly glass), and one small rose-cut gemstone. The arms of cross terminate in projecting pearls, with four further pearls set between the arms. The reverse enamelled with flowers, partly translucent and partly painted on white enamel ground. A double suspension loop at top, with pearl either side, surmounted by a dove. The chain formed of thirteen enamelled links of sexfoil shape with pearls between; alternating with twenty-six gold links set with rubies; attachment loops at the end.
- Production date
- 1750-1850 (With replacement stones (and pearls?), possibly added at the time of its gifting in 1920.)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 38 centimetres (chain)
-
Length: 6.50 centimetres (cross)
- Curator's comments
- A cross-shaped pendant and chain made of enamelled gold and set with gems. Probably made in the 17th/18th-century in Georgia, but showing the influence of Ottoman and Persian arts of the period. Recent analysis has revealed the colourless stones are diamonds, the central pink gem is a spinel, and that the majority of the other red stones are rubies (with the exception of two, which are spinels).
The object was given to the BM by Nino Wardrop (Nino, named after the patron st of Georgia) in 1983. Her father was Sir Oliver Wardrop, who, together with his sister Marjory, was an important scholar of Georgian history and literature. Between 1919-1920 he was the United Kingdom's first Chief Commissioner of Transcaucasia (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) based in Tblisi. The pendant is said to have been given to him then, as a gift for his daughter, then a toddler.
Dr Beka Kobakhidze has shared his book 'Sir Oliver Wardrop 150' (2015) including edited transcriptions of Wardrop's letters in the Bodleian Library.
On February 3, 1920, Oliver Wardrop wrote to his wife, Margrethe, from Tblisi (2015, pp.281-282): 'At tea-time [today] a surprise party came to call on me. I went down and found four little girls (three in white and one in red) and five ladies. The former were called: Makrine Meliki- shvili, Thamar Gvazava, Leila Kavtharadze, Kethevan Eristhavi - all aged about 6, The latter were Mmes. Maria Kvinitadze, Nino Gvazava, Elene Apkhazi, Ekaterine Lorthkipanidze, Anna Diasamidze. The first named little girl came up to me with a curtsey and made a little speech saying that the women and girls of Georgia wished all happiness to my little daughter Nino [the donor of this object to the BM in 1983] on the occasion of her saint's day and asked me to accept for her the small gift she offered me on their behalf. The gift was a fine Old Persian inlaid jewel case containing gold cross something like the one I sent you lately [see description p. 257]: but smaller and very much finer and with a gold collar set with rubies and pearls - a very fine ancient heirloom which I shall try to describe. / [Drawing and description follows] / The cross has blue enamel round the edges and is of thick gold. It probably contains some relics. Above the cross is a small golden dove with a large uncut ruby and the cross hangs from the bird's neck; the ruby is about this size: The collar is of 26 pieces: each with an uncut ruby of about this size. In the center of a dark blue enamel flower end between each of these pieces and the next are two pearls: in gold mount. Altogether it is a wonderful piece of work containing over 30 large rubies, 60 pearls, and five diamonds. Such jewels are only in a few old families and are hardly ever to be purchased but Grundy happened to see one something like this which was priced well over £150 (Rs 150 000). / On the back it is enameled and chased. / This one must have been bought from the offerings of many people and probably meant a sacrifice for several of those who subscribed for the rouble is only one hundredth part of its former value and most people are finding life difficult. I need not tell you how deeply I was touched by this magnificent gift to our dear little daughter. The guests had tea with us and the little girls danced and played and enjoyed themselves for over an hour.'
A second letter dated Thurday February 5, 1920, continues: 'Dearest love to my own darling and to the darlings Jamie, Andie and Nino. I hear her cross was formerly the property of the Avalov family and this is curious considering that one of that family by marriage is your kinswoman'. - Kobakhidze notes that the kinswoman meant is 'mother of prominent Georgian scholar and diplomat – Zurab Avalishvili, who, likewise Oliver Wardrop’s wife, was of Norwegian origin'.
A third letter, dated Monday April 19, 1920, notes: 'Cherkezov told me yesterday he had been enquiring about the history of our Nino's cross and necklet and found they were the property of the Georgian Royal family originally and passed by marriage to the Apkhazi family, a Russian connexion of whom finally offered them for sale and the Georgian ladies bought the jewel for Nino. It never belonged to the Avalovs.' - Kobakhidze (pers. comm) writes that 'Cherkezov is [Wardrop's] closest Georgian friend Varlam Cherkezishvili, who lived most of his life in the UK. As it is seen from the letter, most likely, Cherkezishvili was informed by the Georgian ladies. There does not exist a better source than this one on this cross and necklace. Wardrop says that it belonged to the royal family, but he does not specify to which Georgian king or Kingdom. He also says that it was passed to Apkhazi (Abkhazi) family as a result of the marriage (dowry). Abkhazi family (not to be mistaken with the western Georgian region of Abkhazia) is a noble family name from eastern Georgian region of Kakheti. Most likely, one of the daughters of one of the eastern Georgian kings got married with some Abkhazi nobleman and she was given this valuable item as a dowry.'
The object is likley to have been made in either the seventeenth or eighteenth century. Its design refers to a famous cross pendant owned by Queen Tamar (1184-1213), the first woman to rule Georgia in her own right. The twelfth century is considered a ‘Golden Age’ of Georgian history. Tamar's cross is a 12th-century golden pendant reliquary cross containing fragments of the True Cross. It is decorated with four emeralds, five rubies and six pearls, and bears the inscription (in Georgian): True Cross, the power of the cross, by your protection King and Queen Tamar.
One family in particular, the Dadiani showed especial devotion to this cross and queen, paying for the making of a shrine in the later part of the thirteenth century. Four other cross pendants of the BM type are known to exist, and three have links to the Dadiani. When Russia annexed Georgia in 1800, the Dadiani like all other nobles, were forced into exile. A portrait of Darejan Dadiani (second half of the 18th century, i.e., 1750-1800) in Amiranashvili museum of Fine Art (Georgian National Museum) shows Darejan Dadiani wearing just such a cross, probably as a way of emphasising nationality and lineage [information about this portrait and the Dadiani family, provided by Dr Nino Simonischwili]. See also a further portrait showing Princess Mariam Avalishvili, wife of Prince Garsevan Chavchavadze, wearing a cross pendant and chain of this type.
In 1983, when this object was first given to the Museum, very little was known about it. At that time, a recent exhibition in Geneva (catalogue: T. Sanikidze & G. Abramishvili, 'Orfèvrerie géorgienne du VIIe au XIXe siècle', Geneva, Musée d'Art et d'Historie, 1979) had publicised two similar pieces, both in the National Museum in Tblisi. In 2014 and in 2019, two similar pieces were sold at auction. The 2014 example has a Dadiani provenance. The 2019 example has an Armenian-Persian-Russian provenance through Eleazer Lazarovith Lazareff.
The BM pendant, differs in that it has a different mode of suspension and the birds. All other pendants show two addorsed birds (two birds back to back); the BM pendant has a single bird with wings open. The BM bird recalls depictions of the Holy Spirit, except that the bird is beak down and green rather than white.
Comparanda:
Tbilisi, Art Museum of Georgia, inv. 9530), see T. Sanikidze & G. Abramishvili, 'Orfèvrerie géorgienne du VIIe au XIXe siècle', Geneva, Musée d'Art et d'Historie, 1979, no. 68, described as 17th century.
Tblisi, Art Museum of Georgia, inv. 10 004, see T. Sanikidze & G. Abramishvili, 'Orfèvrerie géorgienne du VIIe au XIXe siècle', Geneva, Musée d'Art et d'Historie, 1979, no. 71, described as 18th century.
2014, Sotheby’s. Provenance: Princess Sophia (Sophio) Nakashidze, nee Dadiani (b. circa 1861) given to her daughter-in-law on the occasion of her son’s marriage (1924): Sotheby's 9 July 2014 lot 28. https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/treasures-princely-taste-l14303/lot.28.html).
2019, lot 59. Provenance: Armenian merchant, banker and jeweller Lazar (Eleazer) Lazarovitch Lazareff (1700 Isfahan-1782 Moscow) by descent to great-granddaughter, Dorothee d’Abzac (born Lazareff-Hoym) https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/royal-and-noble-l19306/lot.59.html)
Updated Sep. 2021 RK
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
5919: Golden fleece- art of Georgia.National Museum in Krakow,Cracow,Poland. 21 March - 25 August 2024. PROMISED
- Condition
- Some losses to enamel.
- Acquisition date
- 1983
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1983,0102.1
