INDIA, 18TH CENTURY

This most unusual carved crystal dish takes as the model for its form an early 18th century European silver form. The scrolling feet are also taken from the European silver form, but the central flowerhead is purely Indian. Its original purpose would have had something to do with the raised circular borders that were originally on the upper surface and which have now been ground down flat. Only the small pin-holes remain which must also have been a part of those constructions. It was most probably for a writing set, with containers for ink, possibly of two colours, and sand.