Items pertaining to the spiritual, economic, and artistic history of modern India and its princely states. Parts include: fiscal philately from the princely states of India, documents pertaining to Indian medicine (6 linear ft.), paintings, medals and coins, map of Baroda and other princely states, postcards, the collector's research files, genealogical studies of Majarajas, and memorabilia on the history of Jews in Southern Indian. Robbins document Indian society, particularly court nobles. One photograph album and three photographs comprise this collection. The photograph album documents the Silver Jubilee celebration of Mahabat Khanji Rasukhanji Babi Bahadur, the last Nawab of Junagadh in 1945, including entertainment, events, and formal and informal portraits of participants. The Nawab is shown being saluted by government officials, being weighed in silver, and receiving a gift. Performances by dancing women and marching bands are documented, as are sports such as horseback riding, rock lifting, and running. People portrayed include government officials, prisoners in chains, the Nawab, the Nawab's son, nobles such as Kau Mull Ladha wth his daughter in a limousine, prominent citizens of Junagadh, and uniformed men marching.
Arrangement:
1139 postage stamps: organized in 5 boxes ; arranged numerically by item catalog number and alphabetically by region
Biographical / Historical:
Dr. Kenneth X. Robbins of Potomac, Maryland, psychiatrist, M.D., collector of south Asian art, and author, assembled a collection of various types of materials documenting Indian society particularly in the second quarter of the 20th century, focusing on the noble courts.
Kenneth X. Robbins Photograph Collection, FSA A1990.01. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Kenneth X. Robbins, 1990, 2014, 2015, 2016.
Identifier:
FSA.A1990.01
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
