Metal

Copper and brass, warm under the thumb. Antique metal vessels here come mostly from India, with others from China, Nepal and Japan, in brass, copper, bronze, iron and pewter. Indian holy water vessels from Rajasthan and Karnataka, kamandalu, puja vessels and copper lotas from Haridwar, where pilgrims often carry Ganges water home, were made for daily worship and ritual washing. A brass urli, the broad shallow basin of South Indian homes, and a bronze mortar and pestle of around 1800 serve kitchen and temple alike.

There are copper apple-form vessels, ring-handled copper and brass vessels, a Gujarati iron measuring vessel and a brass spittoon. From China come a five-legged ding of the 16th century, an archaic-style gilded copper vessel, a copper teapot with festival scenes, a pewter tea caddy and an iron grinding bowl with its wheel; from Japan, a cloisonne vase. Set a large copper vessel on the floor beside a chair or fill a lota with stems. Metal that has done its share of carrying.