Large Sri Lankan Silver Box, Kandy

Large Chased Silver Jewellery Casket

This is the largest chased silver jewellery casket of this type that we have seen. Certainly, no example as large appears to have been published, nor do the state museums of Colombo or Kandy appear to have examples as large. Of high-grade silver, it is an outstanding example of Kandy silver chasing work prevalent in the nineteenth century. Caskets of this type appealed to colonialists and their wives but principally they were made for Kandyan aristocratic families.

The casket stands on four spherical feet. The lid is hinged and fits tightly. The casket is in the form of a rectangular plump pillow with curved ends. It is very finely chased on all sides with typically Kandyan scrolling foliage and flowers within floral borders. The most prominent floral form used amongst the foliage is the

katiri mala flower.

The base is finely engraved with interlocking floral and foliage motifs within lotus petal borders, and is itself an outstanding example of Kandyan silversmithing.

The casket is in fine condition. There are no repairs, dents or splits.

UK art market