Pair of Indian Bronze Male Dancer’s Anklets

This heavy pair of cast bronze anklets comprises a thick and heavy bronze hand cast with triangular decoration and large loops, and twelve suspended bells.

Such a pair of anklets would have been worn by a male dancer to mark the rhythm of his performance (Untracht, 1997, p. 276). In other examples, the bells are sewn onto cloth straps that were worn around the ankles.

The pair have fine sculptural quality, and have a superb dark brown patina such that an 18th century attribution seems likely. There are no losses.