An export licence has been granted for Clive of India’s silver Durbar set, as the temporary export ban intended to allow time to find a UK buyer has expired. This means that nothing now prevents a foreign buyer from removing the set from the UK. The set of silver and silver-gilt items has been owned by the Clive family and was formerly displayed in the Clive Museum at Powis Castle while on loan to the National Trust.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced in January that the ‘incredibly rare’ Durbar set owned by Clive of India was at risk of being lost abroad unless a UK buyer can be found. The National Trust has previously bought items on loan in order to keep collections intact, but has not attempted to buy the Durbar set.

The set, dating from the 18th century, was used in formal court assemblies. Experts say that it is ‘of fundamental importance’ to the study of Indian silver.