{"id":5515242438806,"title":"Antique Kutch Silver Figural Salver, Kutch (Gujerat), India Circa 1890","handle":"antique-kutch-figural-silver-salver-pierced-border-kutch-gujerat-india-c-1890","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis splendid large antique Kutch silver figural salver is of impressive size and heavy weight, boasting a diameter of 55 centimetres and weighing more than 2.75 kilograms.  The salver is supported by three decorative bracket shaped legs terminating in lion paw feet.  It has been ornamented in typical Kutch style with scrolling floral and foliate elements and a superb hand pierced rim.  The ornamentation includes figures of animals, people and birds.   Although unsigned, the craftsmanship is very fine and shows a high level of skill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo the centre of the salver is a circular silver cartouche which is blank and bordered by acanthus leaves creating a subtle ‘sunburst’ effect.  Acanthus leaf borders are used again, in a double row at the perimeter of the field.  Save for the centre, the whole area of the base is filled with scrolling Kutch floral and foliate motifs.  Amongst this, there are four figural groups and an occasional solitary bird.  The figural groups depict an Indian man hunting a boar with a long spear, a tiger trying to bring down an antelope, a horse and turbaned rider and an elephant wrestling with a lion. The figures are easily recognisable, anatomically well proportioned and nicely detailed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rim rises from the double acanthus leaf border where it meets the base in a gentle curve and has been ornamented with luxuriant scrolls of foliage and decorative flower heads in the Kutch style. These elements are slightly larger in scale than the similar vegetal scrolling to the base and the foliage has been painstakingly hand pierced to great effect.  The salver has been edged by a narrow, decorative, cast silver rim which supplies strength and delivers rigidity to the structure. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \"Kutch style\" of silver decoration first emerged in the early 19th century and by the end of the century had reached maturity and developed its distinctive and familiar form. Where the Kutch style of silver ornamentation originated is uncertain. Some writers point to the 15th century mosque of Ahmedabad as a major source of inspiration. The mosque's architecture fuses Islamic and Hindu imagery, particularly in its intricately carved stone windows, which could have inspired the scrolling decoration which became so characteristic of Kutch silver. The Dutch influence has also been noted in the appearance of the repoussé border ornamentation often found on Kutch silverware and there are also resemblances to the decoration on Portuguese pottery of the 17th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilver from the Kutch (Cutch) region of India probably became the most famous of all the Indian regional styles. The Maharajas of Kutch gave a lot of assistance to the silversmiths living there, championing the artisans’ fine work; encouraging and supporting this ancient craft, which flourished in consequence. They commissioned silver for their own use and sent it out as diplomatic gifts. They ensured that the region’s silverware was always well represented and exhibited to great effect at prominent national and international exhibitions and sponsored some of the silversmiths to attend events.  This strategy helped to spread awareness of Kutch silverware. It was greatly admired and became very popular at home and abroad, particularly in Britain and the United States.  It was highly regarded for its great craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibility and appreciated for its good weight and the high grade of silver used in its manufacture. The fineness of the silver itself was usually very high and a minimum of sterling quality or 925\/1000 which meant it conformed to British legislation and could be sold as silver, allowing fashionable, \u003cem\u003eavant garde\u003c\/em\u003e stores, such as Liberty of London, to sell Kutch silver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eProvenance:-  \u003c\/em\u003eUK antiques trade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDimensions:-  \u003c\/em\u003eHeight 5.8 cms;  Diameter 55 cms \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWeight:-  \u003c\/em\u003e        2780 grammes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReferences:- \u003c\/em\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\n\u003cp\u003eVidya Dehejia, Delight in Design – Indian Silver for the Raj, Mapin Publishing, India 2008\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWynyard R T Wilkinson, Indian Silver 1858-1947, Decorative Silver from the Indian Subcontinent and Burma, Made by Local Craftsmen in Western Forms, W Wilkinson \u0026amp; Indar Pashrical Fine Arts, London 1997 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2020-09-03T09:32:04+01:00","created_at":"2020-07-23T10:34:26+01:00","vendor":"Joseph Cohen Antiques","type":"","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":35373363822742,"title":"Default Title","option1":"Default Title","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"JC-06831","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":true,"featured_image":null,"available":false,"name":"Antique Kutch Silver Figural Salver, Kutch (Gujerat), India Circa 1890","public_title":null,"options":["Default Title"],"price":0,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_management":"shopify","barcode":"","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Silver-Figural-Salver-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Circa-1890.jpg?v=1599122030","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Around-1890.jpg?v=1599122030","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121825","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-circa-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Figural-Salver-Pierced-Border-Catch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Salver-Figures-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Catch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Gujerat-India-Circa-1890.jpg?v=1599121820"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Silver-Figural-Salver-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Circa-1890.jpg?v=1599122030","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":11004398239894,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Silver-Figural-Salver-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Circa-1890.jpg?v=1599122030"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Silver-Figural-Salver-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Circa-1890.jpg?v=1599122030","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398207126,"position":2,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Around-1890.jpg?v=1599122030"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-Around-1890.jpg?v=1599122030","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398174358,"position":3,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121825"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Kutch-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121825","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398272662,"position":4,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398305430,"position":5,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-circa-1890.jpg?v=1599121820"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Figural-Silver-Salver-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-circa-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398338198,"position":6,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Figural-Salver-Pierced-Border-Catch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Figural-Salver-Pierced-Border-Catch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820","width":1200},{"alt":null,"id":11004398370966,"position":7,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"width":1200,"src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antique-Indian-Silver-Salver-Figures-Pierced-Border-Kutch-Gujerat-India-1890.jpg?v=1599121820"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":1200,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.josephcohenantiques.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/Antiq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splendid large antique Kutch silver figural salver is of impressive size and heavy weight, boasting a diameter of 55 centimetres and weighing more than 2.75 kilograms.  The salver is supported by three decorative bracket shaped legs terminating in lion paw feet.  It has been ornamented in typical Kutch style with scrolling floral and foliate elements and a superb hand pierced rim.  The ornamentation includes figures of animals, people and birds.   Although unsigned, the craftsmanship is very fine and shows a high level of skill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo the centre of the salver is a circular silver cartouche which is blank and bordered by acanthus leaves creating a subtle ‘sunburst’ effect.  Acanthus leaf borders are used again, in a double row at the perimeter of the field.  Save for the centre, the whole area of the base is filled with scrolling Kutch floral and foliate motifs.  Amongst this, there are four figural groups and an occasional solitary bird.  The figural groups depict an Indian man hunting a boar with a long spear, a tiger trying to bring down an antelope, a horse and turbaned rider and an elephant wrestling with a lion. The figures are easily recognisable, anatomically well proportioned and nicely detailed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rim rises from the double acanthus leaf border where it meets the base in a gentle curve and has been ornamented with luxuriant scrolls of foliage and decorative flower heads in the Kutch style. These elements are slightly larger in scale than the similar vegetal scrolling to the base and the foliage has been painstakingly hand pierced to great effect.  The salver has been edged by a narrow, decorative, cast silver rim which supplies strength and delivers rigidity to the structure. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \"Kutch style\" of silver decoration first emerged in the early 19th century and by the end of the century had reached maturity and developed its distinctive and familiar form. Where the Kutch style of silver ornamentation originated is uncertain. Some writers point to the 15th century mosque of Ahmedabad as a major source of inspiration. The mosque's architecture fuses Islamic and Hindu imagery, particularly in its intricately carved stone windows, which could have inspired the scrolling decoration which became so characteristic of Kutch silver. The Dutch influence has also been noted in the appearance of the repoussé border ornamentation often found on Kutch silverware and there are also resemblances to the decoration on Portuguese pottery of the 17th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilver from the Kutch (Cutch) region of India probably became the most famous of all the Indian regional styles. The Maharajas of Kutch gave a lot of assistance to the silversmiths living there, championing the artisans’ fine work; encouraging and supporting this ancient craft, which flourished in consequence. They commissioned silver for their own use and sent it out as diplomatic gifts. They ensured that the region’s silverware was always well represented and exhibited to great effect at prominent national and international exhibitions and sponsored some of the silversmiths to attend events.  This strategy helped to spread awareness of Kutch silverware. It was greatly admired and became very popular at home and abroad, particularly in Britain and the United States.  It was highly regarded for its great craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibility and appreciated for its good weight and the high grade of silver used in its manufacture. The fineness of the silver itself was usually very high and a minimum of sterling quality or 925\/1000 which meant it conformed to British legislation and could be sold as silver, allowing fashionable, \u003cem\u003eavant garde\u003c\/em\u003e stores, such as Liberty of London, to sell Kutch silver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eProvenance:-  \u003c\/em\u003eUK antiques trade\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDimensions:-  \u003c\/em\u003eHeight 5.8 cms;  Diameter 55 cms \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWeight:-  \u003c\/em\u003e        2780 grammes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReferences:- \u003c\/em\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\n\u003cp\u003eVidya Dehejia, Delight in Design – Indian Silver for the Raj, Mapin Publishing, India 2008\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWynyard R T Wilkinson, Indian Silver 1858-1947, Decorative Silver from the Indian Subcontinent and Burma, Made by Local Craftsmen in Western Forms, W Wilkinson \u0026amp; Indar Pashrical Fine Arts, London 1997 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e"}