Fine Colonial Karachi Gilded Silver Jug & Cover

This particularly attractive gilded, silver jug is most notable because of its highly unusual spout in the form of a lion’s head. The bulbous shape of the jug is unusual and well-proportioned. There is a high-domed, hinged lid with a prominent finial, a flared foot, and a prominent handle.

The upper register on the body includes a chase seen between a hunting dog, and a hare and a deer.

The jug is typically Kutch in motifs however the scrolling leaf and flower-work is contained within panels, and this is unusual for Kutch work. This extra detail suggests a Karachi provenance. Wilkinson (1999) observes that as a result of the 1899 famine in Kutch many silversmiths left Kutch and settled in Karachi where they re-established their workshops. They soon developed a style that is distinctive from, although similar to, the work that continued to be done in Kutch. The decoration often is divided into panels, and the relief is slightly higher. The work often is of a high standard, and the compositions carefully presented.

The jug here is not signed. It is in excellent condition.