19th Century Bloodstone Paperweight With 18k Gold Setting

19th Century bloodstone paperweight mounted with 18K gold.
Bloodstone, 18K gold.
Ahmedabad then England.
Middle of the 19th century.
h. 2,5 in. ; l. 4 in. ; w. 2,3 in.

Gold-mounted, bloodstone paperweight, finely cut and polished.

The Indian city of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, was long associated with the confection of decorative wares cut from local hardstones.
Several examples of similarly cut bloodstone paperweights, once in the India Museum of London, were brought to Europe throughout the 19th century due to the intensifying relations between the United Kingdom and India.

Other Gujarat hardstone paperweight are simply made out of two fixated bloodstone parts, the proper weight and the handle. With this paperweight however, the junction between the handle and the weight has been mounted — most likely in England — with a fine and intricate 18k gold mount, making this junction more discrete as well as enhancing the earthy colours of the bloodstone.