Batavian Silver, An Extremely Rare Silver Betel Nut Leaves Holder (Bunga,Tepak Sirih) Decorated With Bold Blossoming Lotus Flowers, Batavia, Indonesia, early 17 Century
Identification Number: 554
Sold
Description
Of a conical shape the upper part of the leaf container is decorated with repousse technique depicting a delicate band of scrolling stems issuing a very large blossoming Lotus flower, the base is also decorated with various styles of blossoming Lotus flower and buds designs.
Dimensions
12.8 cm. is the height
10.5 cm * 4.7 cm. diam., the largest point to narrowest point of the top.
8 cm * 6.3 cm. diam. Largest point to narrowest point of the base.
Condition
Excellent, some silver marks are not very clear, some unknown local Indonesian hand writing fond on the base and on one side of the item.
Provence
The European Art Market.
References
1-The item has a stamped silver mark in the form of a Crowned letter V, this is a Dutch duty mark for foreign and other untaxed objects used between 1814-1893 AD.
The inner base of the item has three silver marks but unfortunately not very clear, one is potentially the town mark of Batavia another unidentifiable silver mark which bears a clear star at one end with other unclear symbols.
For various Batavian silver marks please see
Silver from Batavia, By Titus M. Eliens, Photographed by Erik & Petra hesmerg, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (Municipal Museum the Hague), Zwolle Publishers, 2012, ISBN: 978-90-400-03615-5.
2-For Almost identical Batavian Beatle Nut Leaves Holder (Bunga, Tepak Sirih) please see Asian Art and Dutch Taste, By Jan Veenendaal, Waanders Uitgevers Zwolle (Waanders Publishers Zwolle), Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (Municipal Museum the Hague), 2014, ISBN: 978-94-6262-000-1.
Please see the identical lot identification Number 158 catalogued on page 106.
3-For similar blossoming lotus flower designs please see the following:
Yogya Silver, Renewal of a Javanese Handicraft, By Pienke W.H. Kal, KIT Publishers, 2005, ISBN: 90-6832-183-8.
Please see the images of the carved stone illustrated on page 79.
Please notice the very similar motive carved on a stone medallion from the 16th. Century Mantingan Mosque, this mosque is considered to be one of the eldest mosques located in Jepara- central Java, Indonesia.
4- For more details please see our similar sold lot identification No. 33.
