Indian Silver Perfume Holder – Atardaan

Rare Silver & Gilt Perfume Bottle Holder (Attardan)

Bombay (Mumbai)

circa 1870

height: 23cm, weight: 502g

This wonderful and rare perfume bottle holder is in the form of a bud and stem. The rosette finial is then depressed, ingeniously releasing four generous ‘petals’ which slowly fold out to reveal four small conical silver perfume bottle – one each is hidden beneath each petal in its own fitted compartment. Each bottle has a screw cap. The ‘bud’ and the ‘flower’ once opened resemble a magnolia bud and bloom with its wide-opening, over-sized petals.

The flower-form finial, the interiors of the petal and the perfume bottle tops are all gilded (gold plated), providing a pleasing contrast with the silver. The exteriors of the petals have been finely tooled to give a matt ground and decorated with applied silver floral and leaf sprays.

The bud sits on a baluster-form stem which rises from a wide, domed foot, this being particularly Indian in form.

The rim of the foot is stamped with a maker’s mark ‘GC’ or ‘GG’ – a hitherto unidentified Indian silver maker.

We are not aware of any such similar vessel; certainly none appears to have been published. It is a rare if not unique piece and will make an excellent addition to any collection of Indian colonial silver.

Provenance

from a UK private collection

Inventory no.: 1491

SOLD