Important Notice

Silver
169 grams
1.5 (3.8 cm) high; 7 in (17.8 cm) long


Of oval form with a pierced edge foliate and floral pattern, the central plaque engraved 'With best wishes from H.R. Doctor'. Stamped 'O.M. BARODA' on the reverse.

Oomersi Mawji was the son of a cobbler and rose to become court silversmith to the Maharaos of Kutch, and the Maharajas of Baroda, two of the most important royal courts in princely India. The magnificant repoussé work stamped 'O.M. Bhuj' or 'O.M. Baroda' is immediately recognisable by the densely scrolling vines, and animal and hunting scenes. Oomersi Mawji's spectacular workmanship astonished audiences at exhibitions such as the Paris Exposition of 1878. "Working the silver with ingenious skill and patience, Oomersi Mawji and his sons raised the quality of decoration on Cutch silver to an art form" (Wynyard R. T. Wilkinson, Indian Silver 1858 - 1947: Silver from the Indian Sub-continent and Burma Made by Local Craftsmen in Western Forms, The Chameleon Press, London, 1999, pg. 69).

O.M. silver, as it has come to be known among collectors, has an endearing value as much for its artistry as for the history of Indian craftsmanship associated with its manufacture. Objects manufactured by the workshops of Oomersi Mawji. can be seen at most major museums all over the world. The firm of Oomersi Mawji & Sons ceased operations in the 1930s.

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