Bowl

1319 AH / 1901 CE Origin: Kashmir Material: Copper with tin plating and black enamel A monumental Kashmiri copper bowl of generous proportions, distinguished by its broad, shallow profile, gently rounded body and raised foot. Its scale suggests that it was intended not merely for an individual meal but for serving food communally, reflecting the importance of shared dining in Kashmiri domestic and ceremonial culture. The vessel is decorated throughout with finely incised geometric and vegetal ornament, arranged in horizontal registers that encircle the body. Repeated rosettes, interlacing forms and diamond-shaped motifs create a dense ornamental rhythm characteristic of Kashmiri copperware. What makes this particular bowl especially significant is the inscription preserved on its underside. It records the name of its owner, Shabaan Pandit, together with the date 1319 AH corresponding broadly to 1901–1902 CE, while Shaʿban 1319 falls approximately between November and December 1901. The inscription transforms the vessel from an anonymous household utensil into a document of personal history. Such inscriptions provide a rare connection between Kashmiri metalwork and the people who commissioned, owned and used these objects, allowing the vessel to be read simultaneously as a work of craftsmanship, a domestic object and a small historical record. Private collection - Traam and Beyond

Not for Sale