ANTIQUE 19thC INDIAN CUTCH SOLID SILVER TEA SET ON TRAY, ATTR. O MAWJI c.1895
19th Century Indian Colonial silver repousse three-piece tea set on a tray, comprising of teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug and a large tray, each piece is profusely and beautifully repousse' decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers on a tooled ground, interspersed with animals such lions, wolfs and tigers hunting, fighting elephants, rabbits, gazelles, hunters riding a horse, a camel and killing a boar and a tiger, the centre bearing the original inscription "AQSA TARIQ".
Reference Number: A3257
DESCRIPTION
Antique 19th Century Indian Colonial rare and exceptional solid silver repousse three-piece tea set on a tray, comprising of teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug and a large tray, each piece is profusely and beautifully repousse' decorated with scrolling foliage and flowers on a tooled ground, interspersed with animals such lions, wolfs and tigers hunting, fighting elephants, rabbits, gazelles, hunters riding a horse, a camel and killing a boar and a tiger, the centre bearing the original inscription "AQSA TARIQ".
Each piece is very heavy and finely crafted, the teapot features an eagle's head spout and the hinged lid is surmounted by a cast scorpion, original turned insulators. The chased and pierced twin handled tray of rectangular form with cut corners, also beautifully repoussed with scrolling foliage and hunting scenes, cast border and handles imitating bamboo.
An identical tea service (comprising a coffee pot), also without maker's mark, is illustrated in Wilkinson, Indian Silver 1858-1947, 1999, p. 85, as attributed to the workshop of the great silversmith Oomersi Mawji, the author describes: "The high quality of the workmanship and the style employed in the decoration of this set indicates that it originated in the workshop of Oomersi Mawji and sons. The choice of a scorpion as a finial for the teapot in keeping with the humour often encountered in their work" (Wilkinson 1999, p. 85).
Although the set appears to be unmarked, few unmistakable elements - such as the scorpion finial, the extremely detailed animals chased and engraved in every small detail, the turned insulators - leave no doubt about the fact that this set comes from the Oomersi Mawji workshop, about year 1890-95.
CONDITION
In Great Condition - no damage.
TEAPOT
Height: 15.7cm
Width: 22.3 x 10.5cm
SUGAR BOWL
Height: 9.5cm
Width: 14.3 x 7.8cm
CREAM JUG
Height: 9.5cm
Width: 11 x 6.8cm
TRAY
Length: 52.2cm
Width: 35cm
TOTAL WEIGHT: 2630g
