Circa 1850

South India

Length,27Cm, width,17Cm, height,5Cm

This elegant box, of beclouded wood, in a Late-18th century style similar to woodcarving that was undertaken in south India, has a hinged lid carved with what appears to be the from Hindu mythology.
The Box is carved and plummeted with scrolling foliage interspersed with the open carved interlaced arabesque bouquets and motifs.

The box has a wonderful, glowing patina. There is an old, stable but small shrinkage-related and an old chip in the lower back corner of the box (see an image below.) The lid closes well and evenly. There is a space for a lock but it is unlikely that one was ever fitted. It is possible that a box of these dimensions was intended to house a palm-leaf manuscript.

Altogether stable and there’s no key provided by the possessor.

REFERENCES
Jaffer, A., Furniture from British India and Ceylon: A Catalogue of the Collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum, Timeless Books, 2001.

European Antique Market

Comes with a certificate from the Art Loss Register