An early 20^th century Anglo – Indian Raj silver standing bowl, Lucknow circa 1900-1920

of circular form with a moulded rim and a circular pedestal foot. The body decorated in hunting pattern, with embossed scenes of animals including three oxon trampling a tiger with a calf in escape while being watched by a hunter is traditional dress wielding a shotgun, an elephant carrying gun wielding hunters in a howdah raising a lion in its trunk, a hunter slaying a tiger with a dagger, a hunter on horseback pursuing a boar. All decoration between trees and grassland against a matted background, with a vacant shield shape cartouche, all above a boarder of leaves. The base with a boarder of elephants, lion, antelopes, and hunters. Marked to footrim with 90 and DC.

Diameter – 26.3 cm / 10.3 inches

Height – 18 cm / 7.1 inches

Weight – 1228 grams / 39.48 ozt

There is a possibility the unusual scene of Oxon depicted in a violent animated fashion may have been inspired by the discovery of the Vaphio cups which were excavated in Crete in 1889 by Christos Tsountas. The so called ‘Violent Cup’ shows the netting of bulls in a highly animated fashion, reproductions of the Vaphio cups became very popular in the early 20^th century.