Antique Indian Silver Jewellery Casket & Hand Mirror c.1890

Magnificent, fine and impressive antique Indian silver jewellery casket and hand mirror set; part of our silverware collection. This magnificent antique Indian silver dressing table set consists of a hand mirror and a jewellery box. The jewellery box has a plain rectangular form and is supported by impressive cast silver feet realistically modelled in the form of elephants. The antique hand mirror has an oval form to a rounded handle. Each side of the antique hand mirror handle, in addition to the reverse of the mirror and surface of the box are embellished with panels of embossed and chased decorated scenes depicting a rural setting with iconic wild, indigenous animals. The decoration to the posterior surface of the mirror incorporates an oval shaped cartouche bearing the contemporary engraved initials 'Rw'. The border of each segment to the box and the rounded sides of the mirror are plain and unembellished. The exceptional jewellery box is fitted with a bevelled hinged cover, ornamented with further panels of embossed and chased decorated elephants amongst trees and foliage. The cover is surmounted with an exceptional cast silver finial modelled in the form of an elephant; the piece is further ornamented with two smaller elephant models approaching the finial. The anterior edge of the box cover features a plain rounded thumbpiece. The body of this exceptional jewellery box retains the original velvet lined interior, comprised of a compartmentalised well beneath a segmented lift out draw. The box is fitted with the original hallmarked lock; this lock is not functional. The underside of the box retains the original wood lining. The mirror retains the original bevelled glass bordered with an impressive applied rope twist decorated border. Maker: Dass and Dutt Origin: Bhowanipur Calcutta, India