11th Jun, 2024 11:00

Silver & Objects of Vertu
 
  Lot 134
 

A rare late 19th century French colonial Indian silver cigar or cheroot case, Pondicherry circa 1880

A rare late 19th century French colonial Indian silver cigar or cheroot case, Pondicherry circa 1880

Raj period, of rectangular form with rounded edges, pull button release to a hinged lid. Each side with finely chased decoration of lion hunting animals, butting antelopes, riders on camels hunting boar, warriors upon caparisoned elephants and regardant peacocks, all reserved with rosettes. The sides with rosettes and foliate scrolls. The top of the lid with a vacant oval cartouche. Marked twice to the interior bezel with French swan control mark (used 1893-1970).

Length – 13.1 cm / 5.15 inches

Weight – 225 grams / 7.23 ozt

Little silver believed to hail from Pondicherry is known, or as of yet identified, it bears some similar ways of working to Trichinopoly silver work, which borrowed the typical Madras type of Swami work. Pondicherry was for a long time a French colonial settlement. Although the British took control of the area briefly in 1793 with the Siege of Pondicherry, concurrently with the disruption caused by the French Revolution, Pondicherry was later returned to France in 1814. The French contol marks support this attribution.

A silver gilt cigar or cheroot case believed to also be Pondicherry was sold (as Asam) Dreweatts, 7 July 2022, lot 90, (£3250 incl. prem)

Sold for £1,764

Includes Buyer's Premium


 

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