Marwari Kharal - Opium Grinder - 19th Century

This Indian opium kharal dates to the 19th century. Kharals were used for grinding opium which was then mixed with water & strained through a retort before drinking. This particular kharal features a naively carved elephant tiger for a handle at one end. The pouring end features a carved spout. It is constructed from rhoeda wood. A lovely feature of this is the hole in the bottom which shows its heavy use.

Opium boxes and opium paraphernalia are excellent collectibles. It would make either a unique decorative ornament or a practical desk tidy for keys and change etc.

A similar example can be seen in "Folk Art & Culture of Gujarat: A Guide to the Collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat" by Jyotindra Jain - figure 44. Other examples can be seen in the Sanskriti Museum of Everyday Art in New Delhi, India. 

From India

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