Anthony Outred unveils a stunning collection of antique furniture and works of art recalling the days of the Raj in India and Ceylon in their forthcoming exhibition, ‘India and Beyond’. This selling exhibition runs from Monday 23rd November until Saturday 12th December 2009 and will be on display at 72 Pimlico Road, London.
Inspired by the perfect fusion of traditional Indian decorative ornament with British furniture design, Anthony Outred curates his first fully catalogued exhibition after forty years trading. The antique furniture and works of art selected for this exhibition are predominantly from British India and Ceylon with a few outstanding works from China and Japan. Highlights include a scarce pair of 17th century ebony chairs, an imposing pair of rosewood open bookcases, a fine collection of ivory and sadeli work boxes, and an early group of Bengal sculptures.
The exhibition’s highlight is an extremely rare pair of carved ebony chairs from the Coromandel Coast in Southern India, dating from circa 1660 to 1680. Most of these chairs are now in museum collections, so this is a rare opportunity to purchase a pair. Decorated with a winged female’s head, sinuous makara (mythical sea beasts) and birds, all with inlaid ivory eyes, set amongst scrolling foliage on bold rope-twist legs and stretchers and flattened bun feet. Similar examples can be seen in The Getty, The Peabody and The V&A Museums.
Further pieces of furniture of interest comprise of an unusually designed cabinet on stand of satinwood and ebony with ivory inlays, from Ceylon, circa 1830. Decorated with a Greek-key pattern and a distinctive scrolling wishbone ornament, apparently unrecorded, indicating a unique commission. Together with an imposing pair of Anglo-Indian rosewood bookcases from Bombay, circa 1840 and an 1880 blackwood plant stand also from Bombay, similar to an example shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
The exhibition also showcases an early 19th century collection of twelve finely modelled terracotta figures from Bengal, with real hair and hand-made clothes. This group includes a snake charmer, female water carrier, Brahmin, Parsee, fakir, and groom, all with individually modelled faces.
A fine collection of carved wooden and ivory boxes includes a Vizagapatam workbox, made by Shedashboodoo, from 1855, similar to an example in the V&A collection. The sadeli work boxes and caskets are of exceptional quality as is a fine pierced and carved ivory oval casket from the first half of the nineteenth century. This ivory piece from Amritsar is decorated with architectural designs usually associated with wood or stone.
No exhibition on India is complete without an elephant. A stunning polychrome carved wooden elephant with a mahout and howdah, from Kashmir, dates from 1900. Unusually large at 19.5ins in height, the elephant is dressed in full ceremonial dress and carries the nobles to a festival or a wedding.
The highlight of the Chinese and Japanese pieces is an important Coromandel lacquer Palace Screen of twelve panels from the Chinese Kangxi Period (late 17th century). The design is particularly finely drawn and the lacquer work exceptionally well cut and coloured. The panels depict the arrival of a large processional group at the palace, a seated dignitary in the palace buildings surrounded by members of the court receiving delegates from the procession, together with the ladies of the court.
For the man who has everything, how about a tiger skull with silver mounts and ashtray from the 19th century or a fine Rowland Ward leopard skin? This exhibition not only showcases some exceptional work, it also offers an opportunity to purchase a Christmas present to remember.
A fully illustrated catalogue is available. Also available online from Friday 20th November.
