Indian Round Lidded Box with Hasp

Terracotta-bright and tiered like a little pagoda, this box is all lid.

This round lidded copper box with a hasp from Hyderabad is from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, South India, and dates to the early 20th century. Round lidded boxes were made for storing spices, betel, valuables and other household goods, and the circular form is easy to make by spinning or hammering. Cylindrical body in coppery orange-red with tight hammered texture, widening toward the base. The lid steps upward in ribbed rings to a small knob with a hanging loop, and a hinged tab clasp sits at the front. It is 9 inches wide, 9 deep and 10 high.

A tiny tower with a lock on the door.