Colonial Indian Silver Goblet Chased with Banana Palms, by J. Boseck & Co. of Calcutta

This tall, elegant silver goblet from colonial Calcutta (Kolkata) is highly unusual on account of it having been chased around the body and on the foot with banana palms, in fruit.

The chasing has been expertly done, and accordingly, the decoration looks lush and tropical. The decoration is reminiscent of Chinese silverwork and might well have been inspired by that on imported Chinese porcelain.

The edge of the base is marked ‘J. Boseck & Co Calcutta’.  This firm definitely was the retailer of the goblet though not necessarily the maker.

It is only the second time that we have seen the banana palm motif chased in this manner on an example of colonial Indian silverware. The other example, a silver tea pot, which was not marked, but we now know must almost certainly have also been by Boseck of Calcutta was previously sold by us to Singapore’s National Heritage Board. See that teapot here.

The goblet sits, without rocking, on a flared foot, and has a baluster-form stem.

The interior is beautifully gilded.

J. Boseck & Co was founded by John Boseck some time prior to the 1880s.  Boseck himself died in Calcutta in early 1899. His firm exhibited gold, silver and jewellery at the Calcutta International Exhibition of 1883-84. The company still operates from premises in Calcutta but now specialises in watches.

The goblet is in excellent condition.