Description:

AN INSCRIBED MUGHAL RED BEAD, 18TH CENTURY OR LATER, INDIA

A natural, uncut gem engraved with the name ‘Ali in bold Arabic script. The stone retains its organic form, with smooth, naturally faceted surfaces and areas of translucency revealing internal striations typical of untreated gems. The inscription is deeply incised on a flat face of the gem, occupying a central rectangular field framed by natural edges.

The minimal intervention in shaping the gem reflects its use as a personal devotional object rather than a decorative one. Its raw form and deep crimson hue suggest it was cherished for both its spiritual potency and its natural beauty.

Dimensions:
Height: 2.2cm

Weight: 10.36g

Comparable examples:

  • A carved ruby talisman with similar inscription, Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, London, 30 April 2014, Lot 131, sold for £5,000. 

  • A Qajar-period natural ruby engraved with sacred text, Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, London, 24 April 2012, Lot 118, sold for £4,750. 

  • A related example in the al-Sabah Collection, published in Islamic Amulets, Rachel Ward, 2012.

Provenance:
Private British collection

Note:
In Shiʿa devotional practice, the name ‘Ali holds immense spiritual significance, often invoked on amulets for protection and intercession. Rubies, associated with vitality, power, and divine light, were ideal materials for such inscriptions. This piece, with its raw beauty and sacred text, is a powerful expression of faith rendered in one of nature’s most precious stones.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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