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Indian treasures

Clive`s Indian jade treasures banned from leaving UK

A MULTI-MILLION set of Mughal treasures that belonged to British colonial administrator Robert Clive was banned from leaving British shores by the Government yesterday.

The four items, worth £4.7m ($8.46m), were bought by a cousin of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Saud al-Thani, at Christie`s in London in April.

indian treasures found at GG2.NET NEWS [14/10/2004]

Valuable art: The jade flask was produced for the Mughal royal court in the 17th century

They include a 17th century jewelled jade flask, for which the sheikh paid almost £3m ($5.39m), a flywhisk of banded agate and inset with rubies valued at almost £919,000 ($1,653,608) , a ceremonial dagger set with gems worth almost £750,000 ($1,349,783) and a hukkah priced at more than £97,000 ($174,577).

Yesterday, arts minister Estelle Morris ordered a two-month export ban on four pieces to give British buyers the chance to match the auction price.

The committee that recommended the export ban was said to be concerned about the possibility of the jade flask going to Qatar.

It is likely the ban will be extended if a serious fund-raising attempt is in place by December 13.

Robert Clive was sent to India aged 18 as a clerk for the East India Company where later in his career he took command of a Company military force, proving himself to be a good tactitian.

He won fame and was lauded as a National hero in Britain when he defeated the Nawab of Bengal at the battle of Plassey (North Bengal) in June 1757.

He later became British governor of Bengal, and one of the founders of British rule in India.

However his huge personal wealth resulted in an accusation of financial irregularities, provoking a debate in Parliament.

He never recovered from the scandal, and the depression that had plagued him throughout his life resulted in his suicide in November 1774.

His jade flask, once part of the collection at the imperial court in Delhi, was loaned to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1963 by Vida Schreiber, who had inherited it from her first husband, Viscount Clive.

After her death the family sold it and loaned the three other pieces to the Clive Museum at Powys Castle in Wales.

All were bought by the sheikh who is estimated to have spent £15m ($27m) on buying the Islamic-inspired treasures.

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