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

Raj period. Of rounded circular form with a fold over rim. The body with embossed decoration in the Burmese style of scenes from the Ramayana, such as Ravana capturing Sita besides Rama with his bow, and the demoness (rakshasi) Trijaṭā washing Sita's hair with tamarind water while imprisoned in Lanka, all against a chased foliate and ring punched background, all below a canopy of fans and shaped architraves. All between two borders of chased foliate scrolls. The underside chased with an encircled foliate mandala.

Diameter – 19.7 cm / 7.75 inches

Height – 17.2 cm / 6.77 inches

Weight – 1385 grams / 44.53 ozt

The complex interweaving of styles and forms found throughout Indian silver is perhaps least understood from the wares made in Poona. The form of this bowl with its distinct fold over rim is precisely that associated with Lucknow in the North of India, where there are also Burmese patterns. However, there are a small group of bowls including this example which are somewhat less convex, use foliate type borders (as one might expect of the Cutch area) and have a schema of decoration, such as Burmese style, held below a continues band of shaped arches, often incorporating these fan-like motifs no doubt inspired by fabric hangings. The attribution to Poona is based on presently unpublished research,

For another example, incorporating these fan-like motifs sold these rooms 22 June 2022, lot 115 (£1,125 incl. prem)

For an example now understood to be Poona, in hunting pattern, sold these rooms 31 March 2021, lot 170 (£1,875 incl. prem)

For another example of similar form and decoration, dated 1896, offered these rooms, 3 March 2022, lot 85