Three "Surahi" moghul bottles

Three "Surahi" moghul bottles

Mughal India, Deccan, 17th-18th century

In cast and tin-plated brass, standing on a short, circular foot, rising into a well rounded, globular body on a circular pedestal and high neck. Two are smooth-bodied, while the third features a petal or gadroon motif, evoking either a stylized lotus flower or a segmented fruit described as "melonate" by Zebrowski. H. 27; 27.5 and 28.5 cm Provenance : Private collection of Mrs. H., Paris. Constituted before 1990. These simple, elegant flasks are early models of Mughal Indian metalwork, frequently illustrated on the architectural decorations of Mughal mausoleums, or in album paintings. References : Zebrowski, M., Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India, London, Alexandria Press, 1997. Three Mughal flasks, "Surahi", Mughal India, Deccan, 17th and 18th century