When the Treasure Chest is itself a Treasure…

When the Treasure chest is itself a treasure, how should one store the treasure chest?

In the world of art and crafts there seems to be no end to the possible forms one might encounter!

I focus mainly on India and Asia and I thought I’d have seen all forms of craft & art in a decade. But along comes one more form to surprise and delight. And of course to frustrate me with the idea that there is never going to be an end to the journey of discovery.

Here is the first example of pierce-work on bone made in Uttar Pradesh, India.

With birds – storks & peacocks and elephant heads, this small but lovely little chest is estimated to be from the mid-late 1900s.

And then there is the superfine piercework on bone(?) that is absolutely amazing!

The second piece with a delicious patina is made out of a slim sheet of bone – that would need a high degree of skill & craftsmanship to work on.

Such thin sheets of bone are no longer used.

Once favored by the Nawabs of Awadh, this craft is now dying out but continues to survive in Uttar Pradesh on a very small scale.

See more or these pieces here and here.

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jm