This month’s featured artefacts are an exceptional and intricate teapot and creamer, skilfully crafted in the form of the Grey Francolin, a bird indigenous to the arid regions of the Indian subcontinent. These pieces exemplify the ingenuity and artistry of Oomersi Mawji, the renowned nineteenth-century Indian silversmith.
The larger francolin, fashioned as a teapot, features a head that hinges open at the beak to serve as a spout. A serpent’s tail, coils around its neck, forms the handle, complete with ivory insulators. The accompanying smaller francolin has a hinged head and raised wings and serves as a milk jug. The final piece in the set, with a hinged back, functions as a sugar bowl.