{"id":5591667146902,"title":"Antique Indian Silver Menu Holders, A Pair, Nandi, C Krishniah Chetty, Bangalore, India – Circa 1900","handle":"antique-indian-silver-menu-holders-a-pair-nandi-c-krishniah-chetty-bangalore-india-circa-1900","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese delightful and very detailed menu holders take the form of a caparisoned bull, representing the Hindu deity, Nandi.  In the Hindu religion, Nandi is the name of the bull which serves as the mount, or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003evahana\u003c\/em\u003e, of the god Shiva and as the gatekeeper of Shiva and Parvati.  He is also the chief guru of eighteen masters and there are a number of temples dedicated solely to Nandi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe maker, C Krishniah Chetty of Bangalore, also had a shop in Mysore and the design was probably inspired by the giant 17\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury stone sculpture of Nandi which stands in the Chamundi Hills in Mysore, Karnataka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figures have finely chased detailing, crisp definition and no discernible wear. The bulls are depicted kneeling upon solid oval pedestals with scrolling borders at their bases. The bulls have been cast, finely chased and are bolted to their pedestals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNandi is adorned with tasselled garlands and a headband with tasselled ends lies in front of his horns.  A blanket with deep fringing and a geometric diaper pattern to the central panel covers his back. The skin flap under his neck is finely chased as are the features of his face and hooves. The front of the menu holder has a chased floral design with decorative scrolled ends arising from his back, close to his neck, in the manner of a saddle pommel, with the plain retainer secured to his hindquarters.  The menu holders are both marked to the undersides of their bases, C. Krishniah Chetty, Bangalore, SILVER.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounder, Cotha Krishniah Chetty, began his business life around 1860 selling imported Armenian beads and simple bead jewellery to the British in the Bangalore settlement. He founded C Krishniah Chetty and Sons, jewellers, in 1869 in Bangalore and today they are one of India’s ‘Big Six’ jewellery houses, who are said to, between them, control the country’s gold supply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the latter part of the nineteenth century the business was producing silver and gold articles alongside jewellery and had been appointed Official Jeweller to the Maharaja of Mysore, with major commissions following. In 1901 the next generation took over, with Cotha Audinarayana Chetty managing two retail stores, the first in Avenue Road, Bangalore and another in Mysore, serviced by a workshop employing over 40 craftsmen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe firm exhibited at the Delhi Exhibition in 1903 and were awarded a Bronze Medal for gold and silver caskets and a large assortment of silver plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the early years of the twentieth century the firm received some extraordinary commissions including a baby’s perambulator and a casket the size of a modern day lift or elevator!  By the 1920’s they were providing silver, gold and jewellery to the rulers of twenty Indian principalities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e        UK Private Collection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSize:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e                         Length 6 cms, height 5 cms\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWeight:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e                   230 grammes (combined weight)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eReferences:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatt and Brown, Indian Art at Delhi, 1903, Being the Official Catalogue of the Delhi Exhibition,  1902-1903, Calcutta, Superintendent of Government Printing, India 1903\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2020-08-09T16:56:59+01:00","created_at":"2020-08-09T16:56:58+01:00","vendor":"Joseph Cohen Antiques","type":"Menu Holders","tags":["Sold Archive"],"price":0,"price_min":0,"price_max":0,"available":false,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":35685778620566,"title":"Default Title","option1":"Default 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delightful and very detailed menu holders take the form of a caparisoned bull, representing the Hindu deity, Nandi.  In the Hindu religion, Nandi is the name of the bull which serves as the mount, or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003evahana\u003c\/em\u003e, of the god Shiva and as the gatekeeper of Shiva and Parvati.  He is also the chief guru of eighteen masters and there are a number of temples dedicated solely to Nandi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe maker, C Krishniah Chetty of Bangalore, also had a shop in Mysore and the design was probably inspired by the giant 17\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecentury stone sculpture of Nandi which stands in the Chamundi Hills in Mysore, Karnataka.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figures have finely chased detailing, crisp definition and no discernible wear. The bulls are depicted kneeling upon solid oval pedestals with scrolling borders at their bases. The bulls have been cast, finely chased and are bolted to their pedestals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNandi is adorned with tasselled garlands and a headband with tasselled ends lies in front of his horns.  A blanket with deep fringing and a geometric diaper pattern to the central panel covers his back. The skin flap under his neck is finely chased as are the features of his face and hooves. The front of the menu holder has a chased floral design with decorative scrolled ends arising from his back, close to his neck, in the manner of a saddle pommel, with the plain retainer secured to his hindquarters.  The menu holders are both marked to the undersides of their bases, C. Krishniah Chetty, Bangalore, SILVER.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounder, Cotha Krishniah Chetty, began his business life around 1860 selling imported Armenian beads and simple bead jewellery to the British in the Bangalore settlement. He founded C Krishniah Chetty and Sons, jewellers, in 1869 in Bangalore and today they are one of India’s ‘Big Six’ jewellery houses, who are said to, between them, control the country’s gold supply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the latter part of the nineteenth century the business was producing silver and gold articles alongside jewellery and had been appointed Official Jeweller to the Maharaja of Mysore, with major commissions following. In 1901 the next generation took over, with Cotha Audinarayana Chetty managing two retail stores, the first in Avenue Road, Bangalore and another in Mysore, serviced by a workshop employing over 40 craftsmen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe firm exhibited at the Delhi Exhibition in 1903 and were awarded a Bronze Medal for gold and silver caskets and a large assortment of silver plate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the early years of the twentieth century the firm received some extraordinary commissions including a baby’s perambulator and a casket the size of a modern day lift or elevator!  By the 1920’s they were providing silver, gold and jewellery to the rulers of twenty Indian principalities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e        UK Private Collection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eSize:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e                         Length 6 cms, height 5 cms\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWeight:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e                   230 grammes (combined weight)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eReferences:\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWatt and Brown, Indian Art at Delhi, 1903, Being the Official Catalogue of the Delhi Exhibition,  1902-1903, Calcutta, Superintendent of Government Printing, India 1903\u003c\/p\u003e"}