Abdul Karim & Queen Victoria. A pair of unusual Staffordshire figures

Abdul Karim, Queen Victoria’s Munshi or Hindustani teacher and Queen Victoria, a pair of late 19th century Staffordshire figures in the form of 5¼ ins [app 13cm] tall spill or posy vases modelled as the pair bust length wearing turbans. There does not appear to any chips or other damage, or restoration.

The Indian servant is shown here not in uniform but wearing rather elaborate Indian. Although other members of the Royal family [the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Connaught for example] had Indian servants there was something much more personal about the Queen’s relationship with them, especially the Munshi. We have never encountered other examples of these figures and conclude that they are probably somewhat scarce. sep28/1

A good short account of the Munshi can be found in the recent book Miles Taylor: Empress, Queen Victoria and India , Yale University Press 2018. The Munshi Abdul Karim was the most influential and privileged of Queen Victoria’s Indian servants and members of the royal family and courtiers were very suspicious of this influence. Excluded by Her Majesty’s tendency to want to talk to him in Hindustani, their suspicions eventually led to his dismissal by the Prince of Wales [later King Edward VII]  and the destruction of his papers and photographs.