Indian royalty on display in New York

New York: Glass thrones, cabinets, an exquisitely carved glass boat and elaborate chandeliers were the preferred furnishings of many Indian royal families in the mid to late 19th century.

And now these old collectibles are back in the spotlight in an exhibition titled Glass of the Maharajahs at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

"One of the special things we do with our exhibitions is that we focus on themes that have seldom, or sometimes never, been treated before. And glass furniture is one of those themes," says Executive Director, Corning Museum of Glass, David Whitehouse.

The exhibition features around 30 items, mostly sourced from private collections in North America, as it was difficult to get permission to bring furniture that's still stored in many Indian palaces.

The furnishings were crafted by European glassmakers such as Baccarat and Osler, but they were considered too gaudy for the local market. The pieces were created exclusively for their Indian customers.

"I think it fit in with the palaces because so many of them have mirrored decorations and glass decorations in rooms called Sheesh Mahal," says Curator, Glass of the Maharajahs, Jane Shadel Spillman.

The Corning Museum of Glass houses over 45,000 objects spanning 3,500 years of glassmaking. Visitors can also watch live demonstrations of glassmaking everyday.

The museum is a popular stop for tourists going to the Niagara Falls from the New York area. The Indian government hopes the exhibition will boost tourism to India.

"I have no doubt that people who see these pieces here will certainly want to come and visit India and see them in their original setting in palaces themselves," says Indian Consul General, New York, Neelam Deo.

The museum offered members a two-week tour later this year to Indian cities and palaces to view more glass furnishings.

At 6,000 dollars, excluding airfare, the tour is already booked up. The exhibition is open till the 30th of November, 2006.

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