ANTIQUE 19thC INDIAN SOLID SILVER WATER EWER, POONA c.1880

Antique 19th Century Indian solid silver water ewer, richly decorated in high relief with Hindu narrative scenes inspired by the Maharashtra temple and scrolling acanthus bands. Maharashtra is home to numerous iconic, ancient, and deeply revered temples, most notably the 5 Jyotirlingas (Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar, Grishneshwar, Aundha Nagnath, Parli Vaijnath), the 4 Shakti Peethas (Kolhapur Mahalakshmi, Tuljapur Bhavani, Mahur Renuka, Vani Saptashrungi), and famous Ashtavinayak temples like Dagadusheth Halwai and Siddhivinayak. The 8th-century rock-cut Kailasa Temple at Ellora is a major architectural marvel.

The rounded bulbous lower body is divided into shaped cartouches, each finely chased with figural scenes. Deities and warriors are shown in animated poses, carrying bows, shields and ceremonial objects. The detailing is crisp, with strong relief creating depth across the surface. Between the figural panels are dense acanthus scrolls and stylised foliage, forming continuous ornamental bands around the body and shoulder. A patterned border separates the lower and upper sections. The tapering neck is encircled with additional foliate bands and rises to a domed hinged lid with a bud-form finial. The spout is shaped and chased with scrolling foliage, complementing the curved handle, which is applied with decorative mounts at both terminals and engraved with trailing ornament.

The silver is unmarked (acid tested show a 900+ silver standard)

Reference Number: A00112