A late 19^th century Anglo – Indian unmarked silver bowl or wine cooler, Poona circa 1890

Raj period. Of inverted baluster form with a fold over rim. The body with embossed decoration in a hunting type pattern, with turban adorned figures with in houdah upon an caparisoned elephant, as well as a moustachioed rider upon horse with spear attacking wild boar, flanked by three parrots in a tree, a tiger attacking an antelope below a scene of a lion attacking an antelope, two tigers attacking a horse with rider and spear alongside another hunter with rifle, a tiger attacking a bird below an adult lynx and her kitten, alongside a warrior upon horseback with a sword raised attacking a Nāga, all against a stipple textured ground. All below a band of trailing foliate scrolls with rosettes. Fitted with a removable silver-plated base metal liner.

Height – 18.9 cm / 7.45 inches

Diameter – 24.2 cm / 9.5 inches

Weight (excluding liner) – 1510 grams / 48.55 ozt

The work on this bowl may very well be the work of a craftsman who trained in Lucknow or was at least inspired by the hunting pattern produced there. However, as this bowl demonstrates clearly there are distinct differences in the execution and depiction of hunting compared to those routinely found from Lucknow. Namely the large and detailed depiction of the foliage with the birds, the moustachioed hunters with ornate dress and feathered turbans, as well as the top band that clearly draws its ornamental style from Cutch work. A complex array of silverwork was produced in Poona, most noticeably by a maker who stamped their wares, Heerappa Boochena.