Indian Wood Bottle Stopper

A hooded, beak-nosed little spire with ventilation slots and a stout stem.

This carved wood bottle stopper is from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, and dates to the 19th century. Carved stoppers were made to close bottles and flasks, and their turned or sculpted tops often borrowed motifs such as flowers, animals or architectural forms. The upper form rises to a narrow ridge and a notched peak, almost like a hooded head in profile. Slotted openings run around the base of the cone. A thick, plain stem extends below. The surface is dark, rubbed and cracked in places. It is 1.25 inches wide, 1.25 deep and 5.75 high.

It looks like it is thinking something unkind about the weather.