Indian Wood Tikka Box

Crackled all over like old paint, with a wide-shouldered lid and a pinched little knob.

This carved and painted tikka box is from Maharashtra, India, and dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. It is carved wood & pigment. Wood carving has a long history in western India, and craftsmen there decorate small boxes with geometric patterns, flowers and figures, sometimes adding colour with pigment. Dark jar with a broad domed lid, a short waisted knob and a thick base. The finish is cracked and flaking on both lid and body, with red showing in the gaps. The lid has chipped edges and a small seam. It is 4 inches high and 2.5 in diameter.

Flaking gracefully and holding on with real determination.