• Period:
  19th Century
• Origin:
  Asia

This rare and intricate Kashmiri Indian silver is of an impeccable beauty and evokes a rich history. Crafted in the shape of a kashkul, or Sufi begging bowl, this dish exhibits astonishing artistry and craftsmanship, from the life like bird's head handles to the to the incredible detailed floral and foliate design that covers the entire piece. Kashkuls are bowls or pots used to deliver food to the poor. They were often carried by Sufi dervishes and wandering ascetics to receive food donations. Made from a variety of media, the earliest examples date to the 13th or 14th century, and their form may have been derived from crescent- and boat-shaped wine bowls made in pre-Islamic Iran. Symbolizing the emptying of the Sufi's ego through the renunciation of worldly goods and aspirations, these bowls have become highly coveted collector's items.

Marked on underside

Circa 1880

Needs measurements

Silver from India, Cambodia and Burma is among the most beautiful and interesting art objects in Southeast Asia. Known as Raj silver, or silver made during British rule, silver made in India during this period is extremely special, as it is entirely hand-wrought, whereas a semi-mechanized process for the production of much British and American silver was already in place by the 1820s. Pieces of this caliber have been featured in exhibitions and the world's finest museums.

The finest examples of Raj silver were created between 1860 and 1920. Much of it was ordered by the British stationed in India from the catalogs of local firms like P. Orr & Sons, of Madras, or from workshop drawings such as those of Oomersee Mawjee and Sons. Inscriptions engraved on silverware indicate that such objects were gifts for christenings and weddings, trophies for winners of polo and other sporting events, and mementos presented upon retirement from service.