"Are You Ready For Some Durbar?" (1 Viewer)

[PolarBear]

Lord Kitchener at the Delhi Durbar of 1903 has joined the ranks of my collection of soldiers representing India of the Raj. I had the pleasure of writing the box insert that goes with the new W. Britain Durbar collection, so I hope that collectors will find it informative.

 

[mestell]

Lord Kitchener at the Delhi Durbar of 1903 has joined the ranks of my collection of soldiers representing India of the Raj. I had the pleasure of writing the box insert that goes with the new W. Britain Durbar collection, so I hope that collectors will find it informative.

Very nicely done Randy. You always present us with stunning "eye candy" to marvel at.
Mike

 

[thebritfarmer]

He looks amazing Randy !! Can't wait to receive mine. Thanks for the preview.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Beautiful shot and a great figure too Randy.

 

[Jagdpanther]

Awesome Randy!

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Beautiful shot Randy!

Vick

 

[thebritfarmer]

forgot to add that I have made this my desktop pic

 

[aujj65]

That is a very nice figure.

Jeff

 

[REVWARBUFF]

That is an awesome looking figure! You did a marvelous job on the dio too.

 

[beating retreat]

Nice pic Randy looking forward to receiving mine hope its here this week

Regards John

 

[1879fanatic]

Randy,
A great snap of one of my favorite LV era personalities! Can you post a copy/pic of the write-up so's we can partake? Please?
Mike

 

[PolarBear]

Randy,
A great snap of one of my favorite LV era personalities! Can you post a copy/pic of the write-up so's we can partake? Please?
Mike

Original Version for 2 sided Insert:

“A Sea of Gorgeous Colour”

Delhi Durbar 1903


Background:

“A sea of gorgeous colour” is how one English spectator visiting India described the Durbar held in Delhi in January of 1903. It is an apt description of the event that took place over a two week period and brought together thousands of participants and spectators from India, Britain and other nations of the world. The Delhi Durbar of 1903 was the second of three such events held in the city. The first was in 1877 and the last in 1911. The purpose of the three Durbars was to commemorate the coronations of three British monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII, and George V and to designate them as Empress or Emperor of India. Beginning in 1877 under the direction of Queen Victoria’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, the British attempted to make an historical link between the Raj (British rule in the Indian subcontinent) and the past splendors of India’s Mughal Empire and to demonstrate the continuity between past and present. The term “durbar “ had originally described a large gathering at the court of the Mughal emperors including the weddings of native princes.

Curzon and the 1903 Durbar:

The most elaborate of the three Delhi Durbars and the one selected for W. Britains new matte series was the one held in 1903 for Edward VII who had succeeded his mother to the throne upon her death in 1901. Although Calcutta was the capital of the British Raj, Delhi was again chosen for the celebration because of its former role as capital of Mughal India.

The individual behind the 1903 Durbar was the current Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon who was responsible for both its planning and arrangements. Since Edward VII did not come for the celebration, Curzon took his place during the ceremonies. The Viceroy arrived on the first day of the Durbar (New Year’s Day) high above the attending throngs riding in a golden howdah ( a seat fitted with a railing and canopy) atop a massive elephant. He was further protected from the sun and heat by a golden parasol.

The parade and displays on January 1st consisted of mahrajahs and princes from all over India, horses, camels, hand-painted elephants, and military reviews of over 34,000 troops. Uniforms, plumes, jewels, and exotic Indian costumes created an unforgettable scene for the spectator. The military component included a large number of Indian regiments under British command in order to emphasize their important role as a source of manpower for the British Empire’s engagements in the Far East, Africa, and the Middle East. The lavish festivities lasted for two weeks with exhibitions of Indian arts and crafts, fireworks, balls and sporting events.

Curzon’s motivations behind the 1903 Durbar were political as well as social. Well aware of the Indian love of spectacle and ceremony, Curzon’s goal was to dazzle them and the rest of the world with a theatrical display of pomp and power. It was important in a country characterized by a diversity of races, religions, and castes to suggest that the bonds among Indians and with the British were strong. After all, India was considered to be the “jewel in the crown”. Significantly at the head of the parade on January 1st were 600 veterans of the 1857 Indian Mutiny who had continued to support their British rulers during that uprising. In an early 20th Century world of potential rivalry and conflict, it was Curzon’s and Britains goal to see to it that the empire remained united and strong.

Mortimer Menpes: Painting the 1903 Durbar

Among the individuals who wished to document the 1903 Dubar in words and pictures was the Australian born artist Mortimer Menpes (1855-1938) who had studied with Whistler in England. Menpes and his daughter Dorothy have left us left an outstanding visual and verbal record of the event in their 1903 book The Durbar. Dorothy compiled the text and Menpes created over 100 color illustrations that were printed as chromolithographs on his own press. His stated goal was to “capture Indian light and colour.” Like so many others who witnessed the event he was especially taken with the elephants:

“We held our breath until they appeared, swaying and irresistible—a gleaming bejeweled throng.”

Significantly 6 of the first 7 releases in the Britains’ collection are based upon illustrations from Menpes’ book. These include a Jaipur Elephant with Standard Bearer, a Jaipur horseman, a pair of Elephant Guards and three spectators: an Indian Beggar, an Indian Tailor, and an Indian Woman (“Late Afternoon”). In addition to the Menpes inspired figures there is a mounted Lord Kitchener dressed in his ceremonial uniform reviewing the troops during the parade. With these initial releases and those yet to come the collector will be able to create his or her own “sea of gorgeous colour.”





Abbreviated version for 1 sided Kitchener Insert:

 

[Aleš]

forgive me on my ignorance but is this any battles in this Durbar?
For now we see the elephant,begger,market people,...is there any combats?
Or is this more ceremonial?

 

[1879fanatic]

Randy,
Many thanks...and a job well done!
Mike

 

[PolarBear]

forgive me on my ignorance but is this any battles in this Durbar?
For now we see the elephant,begger,market people,...is there any combats?
Or is this more ceremonial?

Strictly a ceremonial display of the British Empire in India.

 

[wadepat]

forgive me on my ignorance but is this any battles in this Durbar?
For now we see the elephant,begger,market people,...is there any combats?
Or is this more ceremonial?

Strictly a ceremonial display of the British Empire in India.

Hi Ales,

As Polarbear has stated, all three Delhi Durbar events were ceremonial and they included many forms of celebration. They included lectures, balls, athletic competitions, banquets, and lavish parades. The largest and most spectacular was the 1903 Durbar which was organized by Lord Curzon.

Most of the toy soldier manufacturers have focused on the 1903 Durbar because of its incredible splendor. The 1903 Durbar included three very large parades. The first parade, known as the Arrival Parade, included a total of 166 highly decorated elephants with Princes, Princesses, Maharajahs, Maharani, Warriors, and other significant personalities riding atop the elephants in impressive howdahs. The parades also included large bands, marching soldiers, government officials in coaches, etc.

Several manufacturers have produced figures representing various participants in the parades. Most notibly, W. Britains, Beau Geste, Marlborough, and William Hocker have produced such figures. I collect Durbar figures from all four of the manufacturers I just listed.

W. Britains is in the process of introducing a new line of Durbar figures in matte finish. In the late 1990s, Britains released Durbar figures in a glossy finish. You may easily view the soon to be released Britains matte Durbar figures on the websites of most Britains dealers. However, you will not see the Britains glossy figures as they have all be retired. Consequently, I thought you might enjoy viewing some of the retired glossy Britains Durbar figures in my collection. Below you will find a few photographs of the Britains portion of my Durbar collection. I hope you enjoy viewing them.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[glossman]

*
Great Job !!

Thanks, Randy.

 

[glossman]

Hi Ales,

As Polarbear has stated, all three Delhi Durbar events were ceremonial and they included many forms of celebration. They included lectures, balls, athletic competitions, banquets, and lavish parades. The largest and most spectacular was the 1903 Durbar which was organized by Lord Curzon.

Most of the toy soldier manufacturers have focused on the 1903 Durbar because of its incredible splendor. The 1903 Durbar included three very large parades. The first parade, known as the Arrival Parade, included a total of 166 highly decorated elephants with Princes, Princesses, Maharajahs, Maharani, Warriors, and other significant personalities riding atop the elephants in impressive howdahs. The parades also included large bands, marching soldiers, government officials in coaches, etc.

Several manufacturers have produced figures representing various participants in the parades. Most notibly, W. Britains, Beau Geste, Marlborough, and William Hocker have produced such figures. I collect Durbar figures from all four of the manufacturers I just listed.

W. Britains is in the process of introducing a new line of Durbar figures in matte finish. In the late 1990s, Britains released Durbar figures in a glossy finish. You may easily view the soon to be released Britains matte Durbar figures on the websites of most Britains dealers. However, you will not see the Britains glossy figures as they have all be retired. Consequently, I thought you might enjoy viewing some of the retired glossy Britains Durbar figures in my collection. Below you will find a few photographs of the Britains portion of my Durbar collection. I hope you enjoy viewing them.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

Hello Pat,

Thanks very much for posting the images of your magnificent Delhi Durbar collection.

The gloss paint finish does very well to reflect the grandeur and splendour of the Durbar series, irrrespective of manufactuer.

Do you think that a matte paint finish would do justice to the Durbar collection?

Kind Regards, Raymond.

 

[Aleš]

Thanks for posting the photos and for all the informations about the Delhy Dunbar,PAT!
Well.even it is very nice collection i was a little sad because i was hoping maybe this is one of the fights like ZULU but in India so no combats
And yes i must agree with Glosman,i think maybe matt will not be so much of a succes because if we talk about ceremonila i think it must be glossy(shiny) looking style,but matt is more detail,but not so shiny for the ceremonial,so maybe it will take a little "charm away" do not think so?

 

[thebritfarmer]

Thanks for showing us your Durbar display Pat, truly a thing of beauty.

In regards to the Matte Durbar, I think it has created a lot of buzz, the Jaipur elephant is spectacular is all I have heard. I hope so as I have one preordered