Promotion scale - Brass - India - Second half of the 19th century

A distinctive antique offering plate with a central vase-shaped handle, in the antique world also referred to as a hand-grip plate or tazza. This authentic piece of decorative arts dates from the late nineteenth century, circa 1880–1890, and most likely originates in the Indo-Persian or South Asian region, with India or Indonesia in particular coming to mind. The object is made of solid cast brass and has developed over decades a beautiful, deep dark patina on the top side, while the underside still shows the original warm golden metallic luster. Along the rim and on the central pillar, finely hand-engraved, charmingly asymmetric leaf and wave motifs underscore the piece’s artisanal character. The underside shows a traditional reddish-brown resin and shellac filling in the center, a historical construction method used to anchor the handle securely to the dish and to give the whole extra stability. With a height of 11.3 centimeters and a diameter of 21 centimeters, this is a compact yet strikingly substantial object weighing no less than 695 grams. This tazza is in a fully intact, original condition with normal signs of aging and constitutes a particularly decorative collectible for lovers of colonial and Asian metalwork.

Dimensions: 11.3×21×21 cm
Weight: 695 g