India, State of Patiala. An Order of Krishna, Collar with Badge, c.1936

(Yaduvansh Manya Mandal). Order was manufactured by Spink and Son of London circa 1936. The badge pendant in silver gilt with white and green enamels, oval-shaped, maker marked "SPINK & SON Ltd. LONDON" on the reverse, with an enamelled centrepiece illustrating two standing figures, Krishna on the left playing the flute, with Radha on the right, a tree and a river behind them, the oval centrepiece ring surrounding them with two inscriptions, the Sanskrit inscription "Nara Ranga Chai Naradhipam" (The Bestower of happiness on His people) above and the Devanagari inscription "Pachhmi Padshah" (King of the West) below, the badge itself resting upon a wreath containing eight lotus flowers, with an upward-pointing crescent housing a bead. The badge measures 58.5 mm (w) x 74 mm (h) inclusive of its integral ring and is suspended from a 19 mm (w) x 30.3 mm (h) three-tier crown of Patiala in silver gilt with red, blue, green and white enamels, jeweller marked on its reverse. The chain in silver gilt and housing the four alternating icons of Krishna, consisting of four 19.5 mm diameter Conchs in silver gilt with orange enamels, four 18.2 mm (w) x 18 mm (h) Quoits in silver gilt with blue enamels, four 19.5 mm (w) x 19.5 mm (h) lotus flowers in silver and four 15.5 mm (w) x 14.8 mm (h) crossed maces in silver gilt, each of the icons with four loops attached, two on either side, each joined together by multiple links. The two ends of the chain where they meet behind the wearer's neck houses a 16.3 mm x 19.2 mm catch with slide release, engraved with a lotus flower on its obverse. The chain measures approximately 640 mm in length, with one tiny chip in the white enamels on the crown suspension, extremely fine. In its hardshelled case of issue, wooden-framed, maker marked "SPINK & SON Ltd. LONDON" on the inside lid, raised platform with recessed medal beds for the Collar Chain, Badge and Breast Star, the latter having been lost to time, dual slide release on the front, dual hinged on the back, experiencing separation at the corner junctions on the base, the bottom coming away from the base and exhibiting wear spots, case fine.