Antique 18th century Islamic Mughal Indian Silver Gilt Enameled Fish Kohl Perfume Flask

An exceptional antique 18th-century Islamic Mughal Indian silver-gilt enameled (minakari) kohl or perfume flask shaped like an articulated fish.

The flask is intricately hand-chiseled with elaborate floral and foliate patterns, inlaid with blue, green and yellow enamel. The screw-thread stopper, featuring a tapering hollow tubular applicator, is topped with a solid gold movable suspension loop.

One of the oldest forms of surface decoration, enameling, was introduced to India by the Persians in the 17th century.

At Kasliwal's workshop in Jaipur, artisans start by etching gold using ultra-fine tools. They then apply a paste-like pigment made from powdered glass and fire the entire piece in a kiln.

The art of enameling (Meenakari ) is a traditional art form that involves decorating metal with enamel. This art form pivots around creating intricate and beautiful designs for making jewelry, decorative items, home decor articles, dining sets, and much more. The history of meenakari finds its genesis in Persia.

In the 16th century, during the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's rule, a member of his court introduced this art form. Initially, the royal workers used meenakari artwork to adorn palace walls, ceilings, and doors, but gradually, at the behest of the emperor's wife, artisans started crafting jewelry out of it as well.

Raja Man Singh of Amber is credited with introducing the Mughal art of meenakari to India, facilitated by skilled Mughal artisans from Lahore. Many of these artisans were members of the Sikh faith.

Today, Jaipur takes great pride in being a vibrant hub for meenakari art. In addition to Jaipur, other cities such as Delhi, Punjab, Lucknow, Udaipur, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi are also renowned for their meenakari artwork. Rajasthan and Gujarat are similarly recognized for this unique art form.

The word 'Meenakari' is derived from a Persian word called Minoo, which means heaven. Ornamental use of this art form has often depicted Persian art in itself.

Enameling on silver was much more complex and more likely to fail than enameling on gold because it was much harder to fix the enamel onto silver, and some enamellers refused to work with silver. The whole process was lengthy and very complex, requiring many different stages of cleaning, firing, and burnishing.

The objects were fired in clay ovens and were placed on pieces of talk during firing. Different colors of enamel required different firing temperatures, necessitating a strict order of application.

If one firing was unsuccessful, it would be repeated until perfect. Reportedly, some intricate pieces required as many as eighteen separate firings, with cleaning and polishing conducted between each.

MEASUREMENTS:

Overall length, including suspension loop: 8.2 cm (3.23 ).

Weight: 10 grams.

CONDITION: It shows signs of age and use, with old patina and overall wear. One of the fins on the lower part of the body is broken off (please see photographs).