A Kutch repoussé silver footed tray Western India, circa 1890 of circular form on four feet, the central ground decorated in repoussé with a scene of an archer hunting a tiger in a forest surrounded by bands of palmettes and vegetal motifs, the pierced border with openwork floral and foliate interlace, the rim and feet with applied floral and foliate design, the reverse of one foot with owner initials 28.4 cm. diam.; 590 g. Footnotes: Provenance Bonhams, Home & Interiors, 21 June 2016, lot 144. The inscription on this lot displays a characteristic feature of many extant pieces of Kutch silverware - the practice of engraving the English initials of the owner in an intricate Gothic script. For thirty-one examples of this sort of silver engraving, see a preparatory 'scrap' paper from the workshop of Oomersee Mawji & Sons in Bhuj that illustrates different possibilities of monograms for names beginning with 'M', published in Vidya Dehejia, 'A Cache Uncovered: Workshop Drawings of Oomersee Mawjee & Sons of Kutch,' in Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj, ed. Vidya Dehejia, Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing, 2008, p.47, fig.16. The inscription on the present lot indicates that the original owner's initials may have been 'PPA', 'APP' or 'PAP'. The 'hunting scene' in Indian silverwork is traditionally associated with Lucknow, and also gained popularity in other silver industries including Kutch. The workshop drawings of Oomersee Mawji & Sons in Kutch include copies of hunting and animal scenes from Lucknow silverware (ibid., p.46, fig.15). For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing