Teak Majus Dowry Chest From Saurashtra - 19th Century

This beautifully carved and patinated antique Indian dowry chest is a fine example of a majus dowry chest (also spelled majju / manjush). The style is attributed to the Kanbi caste (now known as Patidar) community of Saurashtra in Gujarat, Northern India and it dates to the 19th century. These dowry chests would have transported the a bride's posessions to her new home, containing jewelry and silk saris but sometimes brass cooking pots. They would have also been used to store leftover food for future meals. 

This elaborate chest is covered in finely carved animals or geometric designs. This piece is adorned with Mughal style floral and geometric pattern of suns and lotus flowers. The chest is framed by delicately carved horse heads in each corner. As is common in much of India, this chest is crafted from solid teak wood. 

References:

Similar examples can be seen in "Folk Art & Culture of Gujarat: A Guide to the Collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat" by Jyotindra Jain.

From India

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