Description:

: A LARGE BIDRI SILVER INLAID SURAHI (WATER VESSEL), BIDAR, CENTRAL INDIA, 18TH CENTURY
Bidar, Deccan, India, 18th century

Description:
A tall and elegantly proportioned bidriware surahi, of classic Deccani form with a bulbous body, long tapering neck, and gently flaring mouth. This vessel is finely decorated throughout with intricate silver inlay in a stylised floral lattice pattern, the shimmering metal contrasting beautifully against the deep blackened zinc alloy base typical of Bidri work. The decorative scheme is densely applied, covering the entire surface with repeated motifs of flower buds within trellised cartouches, while the neck and mouth are adorned with additional bands of silver scrolls and arabesques.

The vessel displays all the hallmarks of superior Bidri craftsmanship: precise silver inlay, clean execution of motifs, and an even black patina, achieved through the application of a special soil mix native to Bidar. Surahi of this size and decoration were often used for ceremonial display or as gifts in noble courts, particularly under the patronage of the Asaf Jahi rulers of Hyderabad.

Dimensions: Height: 53cm

Comparable examples:

  • A large 18th-century Bidri surahi with similar floral inlay sold at Sotheby’s, Arts of the Islamic World, 27 April 2022, Lot 72, for £18,900.

  • A Bidri silver-inlaid surahi of similar size and form achieved £15,000 at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 April 2018, Lot 101.

  • A related bidri bottle with stylised decoration was sold at Christie’s, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 25 October 2018, Lot 163, for £13,750.

Note:
The craft of bidriware is one of the most distinctive artistic traditions of the Deccan, developed in the city of Bidar under Bahmani and later Mughal and Nizam patronage. This surahi is a testament to the technical refinement and decorative elegance achieved by bidri artisans, combining bold form with delicate silver inlay work. The vessel’s commanding presence and luminous surface would have made it an object of status and aesthetic admiration in any elite interior.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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£500 £999 £50
£1,000 £1,999 £100
£2,000 £4,999 £200
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£10,000 £19,999 £1,000
£20,000 £49,999 £2,000
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£500,000 £999,999 £50,000
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