Hut Shaped Dowry Box From Jaisalmer - 19th Century

This antique Indian dowry box is from the desert area of Jaisalmer in Western Rajasthan and has a tall gabled lid. This style is often referred to as a 'hut box' and it's an excellent example of its style, now rare to find in India. The form of this box imitates the typical traditional huts and houses of the Thar desert. It dates to the early to mid 19th century.

These Indian boxes were traditionally used to store a bride's dowry. The dowry box would be filled with her trousseau - bridal clothes, jewellery, and often money which she would take to her new home once she had married a suitable husband. Dowries were also comprised of brass cooking pots, animals and other family treasures

This dowry box has been finely carved from roheda wood, with a classical chip-carved design depicting peacocks among stylised blossoming lotus flowers (a symbol of fertility and longevity) - peacocks are a symbol of good luck in India. The carvings on this box are particularly beautiful. Bound with iron, this is an excellent example of what is now becoming rarer to find on our travels.

A useful box for storage plus a collector's piece of antique tribal art from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.  

References:

For similar examples see 'India - Village, Tribal, Ritual Art' by Mingei International Museum of Folk Art, page 56. Note this book incorrectly states this style to be from Gujarat. 

From India

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