A SET OF TWO INDIAN POLYCHROME-ENAMELLED SILVER HOWDAH FIGURINES
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE GERMAN COLLECTION
Possibly Benares, India, first half 20th century

Comprising two silver statuettes of a covered hathi howdah (palanquin on elephant's back), each figurine with a mahout and ruler seated in the howdah, mounted on a polychrome-enamelled stepped oval pedestal with engraved silver base incised with floral motifs and marked 'SILVER', each figurine fully decorated with green, blue, white, turquoise and pink enamels, richly caparisoned with pearl strands hanging from the howdah and the elephants' ears, each 16.2cm x 12.5cm.

The enamel palette with pink hues is usually ascribed to the enamelling centre of Benares. Similar polychrome-enamelled elephant models were offered at Christie's South Kensington, 9 October 2015, lot 79; and in these Rooms, 27 April 2018, lot 262.