ARTS OF INDIA

101
101
A LARGE SILVER REPOUSSÉ BOWL
LUCKNOW, INDIA, CIRCA 1900
On large domed circular foot, with straight body and slightly everted rim, the
high repoussé decoration with hunting scenes, including wild boar, elephant
and felines, a wide register of repeating palmettes below
11æin. (30cm.) diam., 10Ωin. (26.6cm.) high
£4,000-6,000 $5,700-8,500
€5,000-7,500
The form of our bowl recalls the ofering vessels found in southeast Asia and
especially in Burma. However, the iconography of the hunt, the dynamism
of the scenes and the traits and attire of the hunters suggest Lucknow as
a place of production (Wilkinson, Wynyard R. T., Indian Silver, 1858-1947,
London 1999, pp. 126-127). The present hunt scene is particularly attractive
and shows great energy. A similar bowl albeit with a blank escutcheon
fanked with unicorns is illustrated in V. Dehejia, Delight in Design, Indian
Silver for the Raj, Ahmedabad, 2008, p. 1777, cat. 79.
~103
AN IVORY AND ANTELOPE HORN POWDER PRIMER
POSSIBLY LAHORE, NORTH INDIA, LATE 18TH OR EARLY 19TH
CENTURY
Of typical form, the ribbed horn body with lotus fower bud fnial, the ivory
mouth fashioned as a leaping antelope, its forelegs under its belly, with
spiralling horns and bulging eyes, steel stopper
11Ωin. (29.3cm.) long
£3,000-5,000 $4,300-7,100
€3,800-6,200
A primer of similar construction consisting of a horn with an attached
carved ivory head in the Victoria and Albert Museum is attributed to Lahore,
late 18th or early 19th century (Susan Stronge (ed), The Arts of the Sikh
Kingdoms, London, 1999, no.161, p.141).
102
A LARGE BOMBAY ENAMELLED TIN AND GLAZED POTTERY JAR
BOMBAY SCHOOL OF ART, INDIA, CIRCA 1870-90
Of bulbous form with tapering neck issuing four elephant heads with curved
trunks rising to wide faring mouth, the dome-shaped lid with a depiction of
Ganesh seated cross-legged, the sides with painted scenes of the Ramayana,
the shoulder with two bands of devanagari, the neck with grotesque makaratype
heads issuing pearls, the underside of the base signed with initials in
devanagari, the underside of the lid marked shri
38ºin. (97.2cm.) high
102
£3,000-5,000 $4,300-7,100
€3,800-6,200
This impressive vase is topped with a fgure of the elephant-headed god
Ganesh and painted with scenes of rural life and epics recalling those found
on Calcutta and Poona silverwares. With its green and brown pigments it
brings to mind the Wonderland Art Pottery vase now kept at the Victoria and
Albert Museum (IM.41-1917). This type of pottery production was made at
the Bombay School of Art and was led by a company trading under the name
of Wonderland Art Pottery under the artistic direction of George Wilkins
Terry. The production fourished from the 1870s to the 1890s.
103