Jewellery owned by the last queen of the Sikh empire, Maharani Jindan Kaur, or the 'Rebel Queen' as she was called, is going up for auction. Her treasury, known to be the largest and the richest in the world, was seized and we all know the story of the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond being presented to Queen Victoria. The bounty also includes a pair of gold pendant earrings, which will be sold off privately at Bonhams in London next week. They are expected to fetch somewhere between £20,000 and £30,000.
Oliver White, Bonhams Head of Islamic and Indian Art said, “These gold earrings are beautiful pieces of jewellery in their own right. They are also an important reminder of a courageous woman who endured the loss of her kingdom, and persecution and privation with great dignity and fortitude.” The 19 year old widow was the only wife out of 17 of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who did not commit sati by jumping on his funeral pyre. She was deposed, separated from her son and imprisoned by the East India Company. Her personal wealth was confiscated and plundered by the British government, who sent them to London as gifts for Queen Victoria.
