Tumbler

Late 19th–early 20th century Origin: Kashmir Material: Copper with tin plating and black enamel Design: Raz-e-islim This Kashmiri copper drinking tumbler is distinguished by its exceptionally dense raz-e-islim decoration, a flowing arabesque composed of interlacing stems, leaves and stylised floral forms. The design covers the entire surface, arranged within several horizontal registers separated by narrow engraved bands. Rather than treating the ornament as a series of isolated motifs, the craftsman allows the vegetation to interlock and flow across the surface, creating the impression of a continuous growing pattern. The narrow borders repeat smaller versions of the same vocabulary, producing a highly unified surface. Islim was not restricted to copperware. It formed part of a much wider Kashmiri ornamental language, appearing in shawls, carpets, papier-mâché, silverwork and architectural decoration. Historical descriptions of Kashmiri metalwork explicitly identify Islim as one of the established patterns used by local craftsmen. Private collection: Trām and Beyond

Not for Sale