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Lot 74

 

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Silver
1.3 kilograms (gross)
Teapot 7 in (17.7 cm) high


Comprising a tea pot, milk jug and sugar bowl, each engraved with a detailed coriander pattern, with angular handles, and similarly engraved octagonal bases.

Among Indian silverware Kashmiri silver ranks second only to its counterparts from Kutch. However, the method of manufacture and the styles of the two differed completely. Kashmiri silversmiths adopted European forms since 1820, yet the patterns on the objects they crafted resembled the designs of the famous Kashmiri shawls or were drawn from local surroundings and environment.

Some of the favourite silver objects crafted in Kashmir were sugar and condiment bowls, and tea sets in the shape of 'kangri' or 'kashkul'. A 'kangri' is a traditional Kashmiri object which is used to contain hot charcoal and placed under the garments in order to keep warm during winter, while a 'kashkul' is a begging bowl, used by dervishes or holy men.

The patterns used to decorate these objects seem to be greatly influenced by Persian art perhaps due to the settlement of a group of Persian artisans in Kashmir in the 17th century. Six main patterns have been identified: the shawl pattern, arabesques, rosettes, mosaics, plain tree leaf, and the poppy pattern.

This Kashmiri tea set is a very unusual piece. It is decorated with one of the typical Kashmir patterns: the rosette or coriander design, but its forms follow the European Art Deco style, which is quite rare for silverware made in India. The coriander design consists of small branches of leaves which cover the entire object and are raised from its surface, arranged either vertically or as a continuous scrolling stem.

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