Indian Knee Rest for Cooking

A small, stepped dome with a button on top and a lacy foot.

This bronze knee rest for cooking is from India, and dates to the early 20th century. A knee rest is a simple support used while sitting, and objects of this kind show how everyday tools were shaped by the way people worked. The tiered cap rises to a small knob and carries rows of fine dots and incised bands. A slim, ringed stem leads to a base ringed with small, uneven openings. The surface is a tarnished gold-brown with dull spots. It is 6 inches high and 3.5 in diameter.

Neat tiers, a tiny button, and holes in the right places.