ANTIQUE 18TH/19THC RARE INDIAN MUGHAL SOLID SILVER GEM SET & ENAMEL SPICE BOX
19th Century rare Indian Mughal Silver spice box, gem-set and enamelled, star-shaped on four feet, with four hinged lids, the enamelled design depicting floral motifs and birds, each lid set with a large gemstone, centered by an unscrewable knob. A similar example is found in the Victorian & Albert Museum.
REFERENCE NUMBER: A4144
DESCRIPTION
Antique 18th / 19th Century rare Indian Mughal Solid Silver spice box (pandan), gem-set and enamelled, star-shaped on four feet, with four hinged lids, the enamelled design depicting floral motifs and birds, each lid set with a large gemstone, centered by an unscrewable knop. The box would have contained spices or various ingredients to combine and fold in the betel leaf (a mild stimulant very popular in South-East Asia). Spices boxes of various forms appear in Mughal miniatures from the late 16th Century onwards. In courtly settings, the offering of pan marked the end of a visit. A similar example is found in the Victorian & Albert Museum.
As often the case for Indian silver the piece is unmarked (acid tested show 900+ standard), it probably dates to the 18th / 19th century.
CONDITION
Losses to enamel and damages in places, please see pictures.
SIZE
Height: 8.9cm
Width: 12.3cm
Weight: 896g
