Description:

Lot 138. A RARE BRONZE EWER IN THE FORM OF AN ELEPHANT WITH PEACOCK HANDLE
India, Deccan, 16th–17th Century

Cast in solid bronze, the vessel is modelled as an elephant standing four-square, its trunk raised and hollowed to serve as a spout. The rounded body is smoothly contoured, with naturalistic folds at the joints and small, well-defined ears. The broad back supports a thick arched handle in the form of a peacock, its wings extended and body curved to meet the hinge attachments at either end. The surface retains areas of dark brown and green patina, with traces of coppery underlayer visible along the contours and high points.

The handle is engraved with feather detailing, and the peacock’s head and beak are rendered with delicate linear incision. The open aperture at the top of the body would have served as a filling mouth. The underside is plain and unadorned, showing the smooth casting and wear consistent with long use.

Ewers of this zoomorphic type were produced in the Deccan courts for ritual and courtly functions, reflecting the synthesis of Islamic metalworking traditions and indigenous Indian iconography. The elephant, a symbol of strength and wisdom, combined here with the peacock, the emblem of majesty and renewal, embodies the decorative sophistication characteristic of the Indo-Islamic bronzes of the period.

Height (with Handle): 23cm

Length: 22cm 

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November 4, 2025 1:00 PM GMT
London, United Kingdom

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