Britain imposes export ban on 2 precious artefacts

An export ban has been placed on two precious items, once owned by one of the best known governors in British colonial history, Clive of India.

British Culture Minister Matt Hancock has halted the export of Clive of India's huqqa set and flask in a bid to keep them in Britain.

The Mughal ruby and emerald flask and the sapphire and ruby huqqa set are risk of going abroad unless a buyer can be found to match the asking price of 6 million pounds (7.4 million U.S.dollars) for the flask or 240,000 pounds (296,000 U.S.dollars) for the huqqa set.

Robert Clive, known as Clive of India, is thought to have been presented with the flask as a gift following the Battle of Plassey.

Clive was governor and commander-in-chief of India and became famous for his victory over the Nawab of Bengal during the battle in 1757.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport in London (DCMS) says there is no other object in the world like the incredibly rare flask.

It has a silver interior and a gold exterior decorated in jade, emeralds and rubies.

Clive also brought the huqqa set back to Britain from India.

Set with white sapphires and rubies, it was part of an original collection at the imperial court in Delhi.

"The huqqa set is considered to be an extremely rare survival as such lavish courtly objects were often broken down for their component parts," said a spokesman for DCMS. Endit