Wood with inlays of brass, copper, silver and ivory
Mughal India, presumably Gujarat, early 19th century
Powder horn (barutdan)
Shell shape ending in a Makara (Indian chimera) head
Metal fittings with engravings in the shape of birds and remains of brass damascening
Dimensions: 12 x 14 cm (height x width)
Very good condition
Provenance: Dutch private collection
A barutdan, powder horn, as very fine craft of Moghul India
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This barutdan comes from Mughal India, presumably from Gujarat and dates to the early 19th century. The powder horn is made of wood with inlaid work of brass, copper, silver and ivory. The corpus in the shape of a shell ends in a Makara head. A Makara is an Indian chimera, the riding animal of the Hindu river gods Ganga and Varuna. A further feature of this magnificent piece are the metal fittings that are engraved with bird motifs. Additionally, remains of brass damascening are visible. A barutdan is a powder horn that contained gunpowder to charge a musket. At the upper end is a hole with a wooden stick for the dosing. The barutdan was attached at a ring on the side to a belt or sash. In the 19th century in Moghul India there were a number of small workshops that manufactured such barutdans and that differed stylistically. This workshop must have favored stylized depictions of birds, inspired by miniature paintings and fantastic creatures and popular subjects of imperial Moghul workshops.



The barutdan is in very good condition. Ring and chain are renewed. The dimensions are 12 x 14 cm (height x width). (tm)

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