An Indian Colonial ‘Cutch silver’ claret jug by Oomersi Mawji, Bhuj circa 1890-1910, the vase sha

An Indian Colonial ‘Cutch silver’ claret jug by Oomersi Mawji, Bhuj circa 1890-1910, the vase shaped body hammered with wild boar and bear hunting scenes amidst foliate scroll, peacock and exotic bird decoration, the hinged top with a lion finial, the branch handle entwined by a cobra and topped by a snake charmer, on a pedestal base hammered with foliate scrolls and stiff leaves, 34cm high, 45oz, marked O.M BHUJ to the base Cutch silversmiths were regarded as the finest craftsmen of their art in all India. During the later nineteenth century, Western Europeans were so fascinated by their work that they exhibited throughout Europe, with Liberty’s bringing two Cutch silversmiths to live and work for them in London in 1885, and Elkington & Co copying their designs. Oomsersi Mawji and his sons perfected the ages old skills of Cutch silversmiths to become recognised as the masters of this genre, and their pieces are seen as the finest of all Indian silverware. Literatre: Wilkinson W.R.T: ‘Indian Silver (Silver From the Indian Sub Continent)’; London 1999: pp74 and 75 for two examples of similar claret jugs by Oomersi Mawji