• The set, used in formal court assemblies, is extremely rare and is of fundamental importance to the study of Indian silver
• An incredibly rare darbār or Durbar set owned by Clive of India is at risk of being lost abroad unless a UK buyer can be found.

Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage has placed a temporary export bar on the Durbar set, which includes rose water sprinklers and stands, and is valued at £730,000. It is hoped that this will offer a UK gallery or institution an opportunity to acquire the set for public display.

Although a controversial figure, Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, known as ‘Clive of India’ was the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency and is credited – along with Warren Hastings – with laying the foundations of the British Empire in India.

The items at risk of export offer a rare glimpse into the manners and customs of courtly life in 18th century India. The pieces in this set were listed in an inventory of Clive’s possessions made in 1766.

It is likely that the set would have been used at court. Contemporary paintings depict regional rulers reclining on a bolster surrounded by members of their court with an array of rosewater sprinklers, caskets and perfume containers, all of which are represented in this set.

Each piece has surface decoration of tear-drop motifs carefully accentuated by mercury gilding. They all had a function in the elaborate rituals of a formal darbar, or court assembly. Those attending the darbar would be sprinkled with rose water from one of the slender-necked vessels, or given an attar of roses from one of the perfume holders. The two lidded boxes, or pāndāns, each of different form, contained pān. This refers to small pouches made of edible leaves wrapped round aromatic spices and chopped betel nuts. Pān was chewed as a mild stimulant, but in a darbar would be offered on salvers to indicate that the audience had come to an end.

The set adds another dimension to our understanding of Clive of India’s career which has been seen almost exclusively from a Western perspective as it demonstrates that he adopted formal Indian customs.

Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said:

These beautiful items showcase the luxury of the Indian court and offer us a glimpse into the inner workings of how the British interacted with traditional Indian ceremonies.

I hope that an institution is able to save this collection for the public to help us better understand our nation’s long friendship with India.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA). The committee noted that the set was a striking assemblage of objects, with an extraordinary range of component parts.

Committee Member Peter Barber said:

A variety of silver vessels, used in formal receptions or Durbars, provided the essential aesthetic and courtly backdrop for doing business in Moghul India. This is the most complete and splendid known set. Assembled by Robert Clive while he was working for the East India Company, it demonstrates how the British adopted Indian customs in pursuit of their commercial and political goals. It also enables people today to evaluate accusations of greed thrown at Clive by his British contemporaries.

More research needs to be done on how and from where Clive assembled the set, which is very important also because, uniquely, it has an unbroken provenance going back to the later eighteenth century.

Every effort should be made to retain this Durbar set in the United Kingdom so that it can be viewed, researched, and its ambiguous meanings drawn out by future generations.

The committee felt that the set was of significance to the study of the history of the British in India through its association with the undeniably controversial figure of Robert Clive, whose collection of Indian art is remarkably well documented.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of the Durbar set’s outstanding significance for the study of silver and the culture of court etiquette, and diplomatic gift-giving between Britain and India within the broader Mughal context.

The decision on the export licence application for the Durbar set will be deferred until 14 April 2020. This may be extended until 14 September 2020 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of £730,000.

Notes to editors

Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the set should contact the RCEWA on 0845 300 6200.

Details of the set are as follows:

• ‘Durbar’ set comprising 19 pieces, including rosewater sprinklers with stands, caskets for pan, and components of huqqa bases
• Silver, cast, chased and partly gilt
• Mughal empire, mid-18th century
• The condition is excellent.

Provenance: Acquired in India by Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive (1725-1774); some items listed in his inventory of 1766; the set listed in his 1775 inventory. Inherited by his son, Edward Clive, 2nd Baron Clive of Plassey and 1st Earl of Powis (1754-1839); Edward James Herbert, 3rd Earl of Powis (1818-91); George Charles Herbert, 4th Earl of Powis (1862-1952); Mervyn Horatio Herbert, Viscount Clive, 17th Lord Darcy de Knayth (1904-1943); Styche Estate and Trust.

The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by The Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.

The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections.

• Move will help embed Civil Service training across government, with a renewed emphasis on technical and analytical skills
• More rigorous and specialist training will ultimately mean less reliance on expensive external consultants
• Training will also be offered to Ministers

An overhaul of Civil Service training is being launched today that will equip civil servants with the skills and knowledge to deliver the best possible public services, become less reliant on expensive external consultants, and build back stronger, fairer, safer and greener.

The plans are part of the government’s transformation programme.

The new Curriculum and Campus for Government Skills will transform training and development for civil servants from the core knowledge needed at the beginning of their career through to specialist training in areas such as economics, data usage, the physical sciences, and constitutional issues.

The new training offer will also develop in-house Civil Service expertise, ultimately allowing government to rely less on expensive consultants saving taxpayers money.

As well as the thousands of civil servants across the UK, the curriculum will also offer induction training for new ministers.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said:

We must make the most of the amazing talent that we have in such abundance in the Civil Service and that means ensuring civil servants across the UK are equipped with the right skills and can develop deep knowledge of the areas they work in.

For too long training has been focussed on the latest management jargon and ignored specialist knowledge.

The New Curriculum and Campus for Government Skills will transform our approach to training and deliver better public services for families across the UK.

Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service Alex Chisholm said:

This new curriculum and learning campus will better target training in key areas, as well as focus on building up technical and vocational skills.

It will help us to maximise the outstanding talent in the Civil Service, providing more opportunities for civil servants at every level to develop and progress their careers.

The new curriculum is divided into five complementary strands, providing training in a range of areas including:

1. Foundations of public administration, such as analysing evidence, training in how to write effective submissions and policy documents, and in data handling
2. Working in government, providing information on devolution & intergovernmental working, parliament and legislation and the machinery of government
3. Leading and managing, offering advice and training for current and future leaders
4. Specialist skills, developing deep expertise in areas such as analysis, digital and procurement
5. Domain knowledge, focusing on building and assessing knowledge in specific policy areas, such as health, education or transport

By the end of the year, it is expected that thousands of civil servants will have taken part in the training, with courses ranging from initial induction to working in Government up to line management training and specialist courses.

The new curriculum will also better induct staff who are new to the civil service. A pass/fail assessment pilot will be established, with the aim of giving managers the assurance about a new start’s capabilities, providing a ‘license to practice’.

The campus will initially be based online. As part of the programme we are looking at potentially partnering with existing public sector centres of excellence, like the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Other initiatives include the potential for a College for National Security and a Service Delivery Academy. The College of National Security will improve skills and access to expertise for individuals working in defence, security and foreign policy and strategy areas. The College will also work with universities and other sectors so that civil servants can better utilise wider expertise in this area.

Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic training sessions will be held virtually to begin with, but in-person sessions will be developed for use in the future.

The new curriculum will replace the current training system across government, which features a mix of centralised core skills and individually commissioned training programmes held in every department.

The new system will lead to the development of more rigorous standards for training across the whole of Government, reduce the risk of duplication in training and learning, and offer better value for money.