Bowl

Late 19th – early 20th century Origin: Kashmir Material: Copper with tin plating and black enamel A Kashmiri copper eating bowl, traditionally known as a Thaal-e-Baan, distinguished by its broad, flattened rim and gently rising hemispherical body. What makes this example particularly interesting is the contrast between its exterior and interior surfaces. The restrained exterior gives way, upon use, to an unexpectedly ornamented interior carrying finely engraved “raz-i-isleem” ornamental bands around the central well and along the rim. This reversal of the usual decorative hierarchy is unusual since decoration in Kashmiri copperware is more commonly encountered on the visible exterior of a vessel. The engraving would therefore have been encountered not simply as decoration, but as part of the intimate experience of eating from the vessel. It is a small but revealing example of the way Kashmiri craftsmen could negotiate between utility, ornament and the ritualised presentation of food. Private collection - Traam and Beyond

Not for Sale