AN ENGRAVED BRASS FISH POWDER FLASK
Possibly Lucknow, Awadh, Northern India, late 18th - 19th century

Shaped as a fish, the body made of 16 bands with rounded scales kept together with brass nails making the whole lower body and tail move, the anthropomorphised face engraved with a floral motif on the forehead and on the chin, curved eyebrows, narrow nose and curled moustache, with garnet-inlaid eyes and a bud-like faceted stopper, 23.5cm long.