Small Brass & Rosewood 'Malabar' Chest From Kutch - 19th Century Origin - Persia Two opposing dragons support a

Two opposing dragons support a vase of The Seven Gems inside a central cartouche

69 x 10 x 154 (w x d x h cms)

Hand-carved from a single piece of hard stone

hand-forged ring detail

Small Brass & Rosewood 'Malabar' Chest From Kutch - 19th Century Origin - Persia Two opposing dragons support aThis beautifully carved Indian chest is known as a Malabar chest and dates to the middle of the 19th century. It is made from solid rosewood and bound with brass. This is a rather small example suggesting it was made for use as a merchants lockbox. Perhaps a sea captain. The larger chests were used as dhow trade chests for transporting spices like pepper and cloves, Indian cotton, and gemstones. The main trade hubs were Diu, Surat, Basra, Zanzibar &