Indian Vessel with Loop Handles

A wide-hipped copper pot, ringed at the shoulder and crusted with age.

This vessel with loop handles was made in India in copper in the late 19th century. Large copper pots are commonly used in Indian households for carrying and storing water and for cooking. The wide mouth has a thick folded rim and a pair of ring handles on opposite sides. The lower half tapers sharply to a smaller base. The metal has aged to a pale, chalky olive and bronze, with greenish deposits and dark patches around the middle.

About 20 inches wide and 14 inches high. Practical heft, and a lovely texture.