Indian Chalice Form Holy Water Vessel

Warm brass tones and fine rings below a broad flaring lip.

This chalice-form holy water vessel is from Karnataka, South India, and dates to the 19th century. It is brass. Karnataka has a long history of brass work, and ritual vessels were made there for both temple use and household worship. Tall goblet-shaped vessel with a smooth golden finish and two thin incised lines under a wide rim. The bowl is deep and tapers to a short stem on a stepped, rounded foot. It is 3.1 inches high and 3.2 in diameter.

Plain-spoken and polished by long handling.