Lot 190. A silver-thread embroidered velvet-clad leather quiver, North India, probably Lahore, early 19th Century; 67 cm. long. Estimate: 6 000 GBP - 8 000 GBP. Sold for £ 27,562 (€ 32,025). Courtesy Bonhams.

he quiver of tapering form, the leather body clad entirely in red velvet embroidered to the front with gilt-silver thread and sequins with a series of large rosettes, the lower end with a palmette surmounted by a trefoil motif, the border with a band of flowerheads, the velvet clad leather belt embroidered en suite, two sets of four tassels to one side, containing ten arrows.

Provenance: James Baillie Fraser, 15th Laird of Reelig (1783-1856) and his brother William Fraser (1784-1835). Presented to William by a Sikh Nobleman.
Private Scottish collection by direct descent.

Note: Two Sikh quivers (the present lot and lot 189) are mentioned in packing lists maintained in the family archives from the early 19th century. The first list, written by James and William's father Edward Satchwell Fraser, is a record of the items from the Frasers' collection which were taken back to England aboard the Lady Carrington and the Phoenix, ships which served the East India Company between 1809-1821 and 1804-1821 respectively. The first quiver is listed amongst the items on the Lady Carrington as: 19. a sikh quiver of arrows, presented, with a bow, to William by a Sikh Chief. The Lady Carrington left Calcutta in late 1817 and arrived at the Downs off the East Kent coast on the 30th of July, 1818. The second quiver, transported aboard the Phoenix in 1816 is described as: 5. a sikh quiver of arrows from a Sikh Chief, a present.

A second list, thought to be the original written by James in India (fig. 1) mentions both quivers and assigns them to their respective ships. Although it is not possible to distinguish between the two quivers as described in the inventories, it is certain that the present lot is one of those listed.