Indian Holy Water Vessel with Stamped Motif

Picture a smooth, honey-toned cup with a pinched waist and a flash of turquoise inside.

This brass holy water vessel with stamped motif is from Rajasthan, India, and dates to the 19th century. Rajasthan has a long tradition of metalwork, and vessels there are often shaped with a narrow neck and wide body suited to carrying and pouring water. Generally, a tubular cup with a concave waist, a flared lip and fine engraved borders near the top and bottom. The surface is a warm rosy gold with pinkish spots, and a patch of blue-green shows inside the rim. It is 3 inches high and 3 in diameter.

Neatly cinched, quietly glowing and entirely unfussy.