The Peacock Throne

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 4, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 46.

The Peacock Throne.

THE finest and most costly piece of furniture ever conceived was the famous "peacock throne" of Delhi. Tavernier, a skillful French jeweler, saw it, and made a computation as to its intrinsic value. He calmly estimated that its nominal worth, aside from its claims in an artistic way, was $30,000,000. It was six feet high and four feet broad, but it was composed of solid gold inlaid with rare Oriental gems. It received its name from the jeweled images of peacocks which adorned its canopy. This canopy was also of gold, supported on twelve gold pillars, and hung all around with a fringe of pearls. On each side of the throne stood two chuttahs, or umbrellas, symbolical of royalty. They were made of crimson velvet, embroidered with gold threads and pearls, and were equipped with solid gold handles and diamonds. The throne was constructed by order of the Eperor Shah Jehan.—Sel.