Bikaner

Painted portrait of an unidentified group of men, Bikaner

Although black and white photography rose in popularity and acquired a mark in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Indian aristocrats sought to go a bit further to fully enjoy the medium. They ordered for their portraits to be coloured by hand, often using bold colours. Photo studios accordingly worked in collaboration with artists… Read more »

Ganga Singh, Silver, One Paisa

This is a silver coin issued by the state of Bikaner under Ganga Singh, the Maharaja of the Princely State of Bikaner from 1888 to 1934. On the obverse is a mustachioed portrait of the king, with a turban worn in the Bikaneri style. Around the portrait is inscribed “Mahadhiraj Rajshri Ganga Singh Bahadur” in… Read more »