Large Indian Silver Vase

Details

Description

This exceptional Indian silver baluster vase is a work of rare scale, artistic strength and decorative authority, created in the … Read more This exceptional Indian silver baluster vase is a work of rare scale, artistic strength and decorative authority, created in the Kutch tradition of Gujarat at the end of the nineteenth or the very beginning of the twentieth century. Standing 42 cm high and weighing 3012 grams, it belongs to a far more serious category than ordinary colonial silver or decorative table wares.

Its silhouette is especially distinguished. The tall neck rises from a powerful baluster body and is carried on a broad lobed pedestal foot, creating a form of unusual elegance and architectural poise. Large Indian silver vases are markedly rarer than bowls or cups, and examples of this size are rarer still.

The entire surface is richly covered with dense repoussé and chased floral ornament on a finely matted ground. This interplay between matte texture and raised hand-work gives the vase extraordinary richness under changing light.

The vase is made of solid high-grade silver. Traditional fineness ranges around 900 to 916 and sometimes 925. Acid testing confirms high-grade silver. The piece is not weighted. The visible construction line is consistent with traditional sectional manufacture.

Provenance Christopher Hodsoll Collection

Measurements
Height 42 cm
Rim diameter 20.8 cm
Maximum body diameter 24.5 cm
Weight 3012 g

Condition
Good antique condition with minor wear consistent with age. See less