Lot Essay
An incense burner in the British Museum, also in the form of a peacock, has similar engraved cusped feathers and a body which is hinged at the middle. That is attributed by Mark Zebrowski to 16th century Deccan, (Mark Zebrowski, Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India, London, 1997, pl.103 and pl.525). Our peacock is interesting for its use of repoussé decorative scrolls for the wings and tail feathers which are possibly a later decorative feature that replaced the openwork found on earlier examples.