Moroccan Finely Carved Nut & Silver Kohl Container

This elegant container is from Morocco, and was used to hold kohl which wealthy Berber & local Jewish ladies would use to darken around their eyes.

It comprises a long nut (a small species of coconut) carved with three bands of fine ribbing, and silver mounts chased with interlaced Arabesque scrollwork.

The end of the nut has a fine silver stopper and applicator which is attached to a silver chain which links to the neck of the container. The stopper is exquisitely turned.

See Bos (2019, p. 212-213) for a similar example.

The item is in excellent condition. It is among the finest examples of one of these that we have seen, both in terms of quality of workmanship and patina.