Indian Lidded Box with Incised Motif

Flared at the bottom, domed at the top, and sturdy enough to sit on a shelf for another century.

This lidded box with incised motif comes from the Madhya Pradesh and Bengal border, India, and dates to the late 19th century. It is brass. Small brass boxes were a familiar part of Indian households, used for spices, betel, cosmetics and small valuables. This one has a wide base that curves inward to a straight collar. The lid rises in stepped tiers to a flat round top. Fine incised lines ring the body and lid, and the brass has darkened to a deep brown patina. It is 3.5 inches high and 7 in diameter.

Plain, sturdy and very good at keeping a secret.