Indian Metalwork

A fine antique Asian Indian brass alms dish molded with a hamsa bird design and dating from the 19th century. The hamsa is believed to be based on ...

A fine and unusual vintage Asian Indian red lacquered bronze statue of Shiva Nataraja dating from the 20th century. The figure represents the Hindu God Shiva performing a dance. The ...

A large and rare antique Indian copper Yoni Shiva Lingam Ceremonial water Vessel dating from the 19th century. The Yoni represents the Hindu godd...

Fine Indo Persian Mughal style Gouache Paintings of hunting scenes A Pair of Persian miniature style paintings featuring hunting scenes Finely painted in Gouache a using beautifu...

Large Antique Indian silver Amulet necklace silver Amulet necklace worn by devotes of Shiva Culture/Period: Indian Shaivite 19th early 20th century Pendant size 9 x 7 cm weight ...

Superb large Indian mughal style repoussé and pierced silver box. A beautiful Octagonal silver box with domed top with pierced floral design and fine geometric repousse embossed an...

Northern India or Deccan, late 19th century L. approx. 82 cm (excl. stand) Provenance: Private collection, United Kingdom This remarkable gilt-silver soonta (ceremonial sceptre) also known as choba (ceremonial mace) with a tiger's head stands out as an unparalleled example. It has a wooden base, clad with thick sheet part-gilt silver and has fine details such as teeth and a curling tongue. Especially with the inlaid glass eyes, in combination with the grand sculptural design, it would have been integral to an Indian maharaja’s attire, known as lawajama in North India and biruthus in South India, as referenced by Jackson & Jaffer. They would symbolise authority, power, and sometimes an attribute of various deities, particularly those associated with strength or combat. For instance, the Hindu god Hanuman, known for his immense strength, is often depicted holding a mace (*chob* or gada in Sanskrit). Similarly, the god Vishnu and his avatar Krishna are also frequently depicted with a mace among their other attributes. Courtiers would raise these sceptres wrapped in rich brocades, with the head visible, during processions, signalling their association with the monarch. Alongside fly-whisks and standards, they were indispensable in ceremonial parades, underscoring the ruler's prestige. Terlinden notes that a soonta berdar was tasked with carrying the sceptre. These individuals, proficient in courtly manners, played key roles during audiences, from managing entrances to introducing guests. Their esteemed position often earned them generous rewards, including land grants. See for a depiction of sceptres in use the top right of a painting in the collection of the V&A, titled Processional scene with Amar Singh, ruler of Thanjavur (Tanjore), and Sarabhoji, from circa 1797. For a very comparable piece, but with an elephant’s head, see the collection of the Indian Museum, Kolkata. For other less similar examples, see the V&A Museum London. Sources: A. Jackson & A. Jaffer, Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts, London, V&A Publishing, 1999 Christiane Terlinden Serra, Mughal Silver...

This very high quality piece of impressive Raj period Indian silver is superbly decorated with three dimensional deep relief repousse work in the form of traditional male and female...

Large rare Antique Indian Hindu Silver Amulet Pendant Period 19th century Heavy High grade silver Pendant Length 11 x 7.5 cm weight 65 grams Condition: Fine.

Antique Indian Hindu Silver Amulet necklace Period 19th century High grade silver Pendant Length 8 x 6 cm weight 60 grams Condition: Fine. Restrung on cotton.

South Indian Hindu Silver Amulet necklace Heavy bullet shaped Amulet necklace with pointed ends with floral and geometric design High grade silver Pendant Length 9 cm weight 90 ...

This very fine quality late 19th century Raj period charger is made from heavy gauge brass which is extensively hand decorated with exceptionally fin...

Indian Ethnographic Tribal silver Amulet necklace Rajasthan Rare styled necklace made with a selection of shield type amulets the end with silver coins Period early 20th century Con...

A Rare Early Islamic Illustrated book cover Antique Asian Islamic Indian Mughal Persian 17 th c Very finely detailed hand illustrated featuring a ki...

A fine quality and heavily made antique Indian silver card case decorated in repoussé with animals and other scenes probably dating from the early 20th century. The card case is of f...

A very finely made antique Indian silver filigree card case presented in its original fitted box dating from the 19th century. The card case is of flat rectangular shape with a simple friction fitting detachable cover which fits snuggly over a shaped overlapping inner edge. The case is made from panels separated by thin silver banding...

Indian Bidri Hookah Base, decorated with floral patterns and folliage. India, Bidri ware, 19th century. In fairly good condition, worn due to age (see images). Dimensions: 16 cm. ...

Rare type of domed filigree silver box with a scent bottle inside (top can be screwed off). Presumably used as a spice/perfume box. Presumably made in Karimnagar, India, early 19th ...

A good antique bronze temple horse on wheels toy originating from Jhansi City in Bundelkhand in Northern India and dating from the 19th century. The Hindu region of Bundelkhand is we...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian silver beaker; an addition to our range of drinks related silverware This exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian silver beaker has a cylindrical tapering form. The surface of the antique silver beaker...

Superb large Indo-Persian tray in embossed brass with magnificently intricate arabesque decorations of foliage, animals and divinities. Representation of ...

Large Tamil Nadu India brass pot. Handcrafted with a beautiful patina of brass and copper. Boastful size with presence and style. The traditional pot has go...

A Tabarzin, Indian saddle-axe from Bikaner, 19th century Indian, 19th century Measures: height 56cm, width 12.5cm, depth 4cm This magnificent piece is a tabarzin, a battle saddle-axe, made in North West India in Bikaner sometime in the early nineteenth century. The head of the axe is engraved with intricate floral motifs, the handle superbly decorated with an ornate chased gilt pattern along its length. Dense and beautiful floral scroll patterns line its length, and the base unscrews to reveal a stunning hidden dagger, that is approximately a third of the axe's length. Pieces such as these are Indo-Persian, heavily indebted to Persian tabar axes, and comparable examples are to be found in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and in the Wallace Collection, London. A remarkable item of military history...

A stylish antique Khond bronzed metal stylized figure of an Ox dating from the early to mid 20th century made in Orissa, India. The Khonds are an indigenous Adivasi tribal commun...

A very fine and large antique Anglo-Indian silver oval shaped locket heavily embossed with three figures dated September 1880. The large hinged locket has an internal recessed compar...

A stytlish antique Indian or Middle Eastern coconut vase overlaid and mounted with brass dating from the 19th century. The vase has a coconut body with an inset turned wood base and ...

Large Indian gold damascened steel tegha sword. Indian, c. 1850 Length 112cm, width 16cm, depth 10cm This remarkable sword is a tegha, a large Indian sword...

An unusual antique/vintage Indian Khond tribe attributed stylized patinated metal, possibly bronze, seated dog figure sculpture believed to date to the late 19th or early 20th centur...

A very fine pair antique Indian Bidri Ware vases of teardrop shape with linear and floral petal designs in silver overlay probably dating from the late 19th...

A fine and unusual antique metal clad and mounted wooden rice or grain bucket with attached steel poker originating from Southern India. The twin handled ...

Bronze bell. India, 20th century. Bell made of bronze with a tall body and an oval base, almost rectangular in height, which has an elaborate upper part with smooth areas and figure...

A fine antique Indian Bidriware twin handled tray inlaid with silver leaf designs and dating from the latter 19th century. The tray stands raised on rectangular shaped foot and is of...

Rare pair of bronze elegant pedestal bowls from Kerala (India). They were used as temple offering bowls and everyone is in slightly different sizes. It'...

This is a solid silver Anglo-Indian bowl decorated with seated Dieties and made in India in the late 19th century, circa 1880. The small circular bowl is made of solid silver and has a low foot. The bowl has been beautifully hand chased with seated Dieties in different poses within circular panels which form a continuous pattern around the bowl set between a flower and leaf motif, with a lower border below the figures. The bowl weighs 79 gram. Overall, a beautiful antique solid silver bowl.

A pair of very fine silver filigree rosewater sprinklers Possibly India, Karimnagar, early 18th century Measures: Height 31.6 cm and 31.7 cm,...

A pair of very fine silver filigree rosewater sprinklers Possibly India, Karimnagar, early 18th century Height 31.6 cm and 31.7 cm, weight 39...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian silver card case; an addition to our diverse Asian silverware collection This fine antique Indian silver card case has a shaped rectangular form. The anterior surface of this case is embellished with a fine and impressive chased decorated panel depicting a scene with four characters in a boat above a shaped cartouche displaying the contemporary bright cut engraved initials ‘EH’. The reverse surface is ornamented with a chased decorated panel illustrating a male and female character in period Asian dress clasping each other under a tree canopy. The shaped sides and border to both the anterior and reverse surfaces are plain and unembellished. This antique silver card case is fitted with a hinged cover. Condition This fine antique solid silver card...

An exceptional, rare and impressive antique Indian silver two handled tea tray, an addition to our Asian silverware collection. This exceptional antique Indian silver tray...

This fascinating piece dates from the 19th century in India, where it was used as a water base for a hookah, or shisha pipe. In traditional hookah smoking, the base of the pipe is no...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian 900 standard silver hip flask with the original leather case; part of our wine and drinks related silverware collection. This exceptional antique Indian 900 standard silver hip flask has an oval rounded form. The surface of this antique silver hip flask...

A fine 19th-century ornate Indian dagger superbly made from hand forged folded steel known as Damascus which shows on the blade with a pattern almost like wood grain. The whole knife is made from solid steel and the handle is most elaborate with a curved grip which terminates in a tiger’s head all of which is profusely inlaid with finely cut silver in foliate patterns and panels with realistic markings to the tiger's head. This fine and interesting antique knife would be a good addition to any collection or would be very useful on a desk as a paper or letter opening knife. Some history on the Damascus steel: The history of Damascus steel can be traced all the way back to 500 A.D. when in India it was called Telangana, Wootz or Ukku steel. It then found its way to Damascus, Syria, which was the centre of trade in that region for war equipment such as knives, swords and armour. The name “Damascus” wasn’t adopted until the time of the Crusaders. The Crusaders witnessed Damascus swords...

Indian bronze bowl is an original decorative object realized in India in the mid-19th century. Bronze. Excellent conditions. Original manuf...