ANTIQUE 20thC INDIAN CUTCH SOLID SILVER STUNNING REPOUSSE EWER c1900

DESCRIPTION

Antique 20th Century rare Indian Solid Silver repousse' ewer (aftaba), standing on a flared oval foot, tear-shaped body, elongated neck, "S" shaped spout and astonishing cast handle modelled as a lion, the body finely tooled imitating fur.

The body is repousse' decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers on a tooled ground, in the typical Kutch style, but the tear-shaped panel and the intricately detailed stylized bands are typically Islamic, revealing a clear Mughal inspiration.

The shape of the ewer is clearly inspired by the 17th / 18th Century brass and bronze inlaid and bidri Mughal brass ewers, used in north India and Deccan by local Muslims for handwashing, as sign of hospitality (for similar examples please follow this link and this link).

The piece features the most astonishing craftmanship that can be found on Indian silver. The repousse' work suggests that the silversmith trained his tecnique and taste in the Kutch region, with a quality comparable to the finest pieces by Oomersi Mawji. Nevertheless the style of the ewer is very different from the usual British Colonial refers to the Muslim culture, popular in northern India (Kashmir in particular) and Deccan. The ewer probably dates to the very late 19th Century or early 20th Century, when many pre-eminet silversmiths, as a conseguence of the terrible femine of 1899, left the Kutch region for more prosperous centres.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - no damage.

SIZE

Height: 23.3cm
Width: 17.3 x 7.8cm
Weight: 600g