Summary: The splendors of an Indian maharaja's (king) court is the stuff of legend that you may have heard or read in books. (http://kamlashow.com/podcast/wp-content/uploads/Jaffer1.thumbnail.jpg)In Made For Maharajas A Design Diary of Princely India (http://www.amazon.com/Made-Maharajas-Design-Diary-Princely/dp/0865651744) (Vendome Press, 2006) Dr. Amin Jaffer (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/style/26iht-Luxury08-Jaffer.18176031.html) takes us on a splendid journey of the lifestyle of the rich and famous Indian maharajas and maharanis from 1857 till 1947. And what a treasure trove these kings and queens amassed over the years. You can catch a glimpse at some of these luxurious and bespoke items that were created for the Indian royals at The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's exhibit "Maharaja: The Splendors of The Indian Royal Court (http://www.asianart.org/maharaja/)," that runs from Oct 21, 2011 to April 8, 2012. It was Europe where these various maharajas and maharanis went on their shopping sprees. The well-heeled Indian elite rank among the early patrons of famous designer houses like Cartier, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, and others. And now more than 160 years later the same clutch of European design houses are back in India courting the rich and famous with their dazzling array of jewels, watches, bags, clothes and shoes. What makes Dr. Jaffer's book interesting is the reproduction of receipts, and the stories of how the representative of the various design houses courted their Indian clients. According to Dr. Jaffer to date Cartier's highest commission came from a sales transaction to the Maharaja of Patiala. The book is filled with stories about the lifestyle of Rani Molly of Pudukkotai; Yashwant Rao Holkar-II of Indore (that is his photo on the cover of the book); Maharaja of Kapurthala; Maharaja of Patiala and numerous other Indian princes and princesses. Dr. Jaffer is International Director of Asian Art at Christies. This interview was originally recorded in 2006 when Dr. Jaffer was visiting Manhattan, New York.
