Antique Indian Brass Lassi Cup, Hand-Engraved Floral & Paisley, c.1900

In northern India around 1900, a metalworker sat down with a cup and a graving tool and proceeded to cover every available surface with flowers. Not in a hurried, get-it-done way. In a this-is-going-to-take-a-while, I-have-standards way. The result is this: a hand-engraved cup with dense, all-over decoration of scrolling botanical motifs, paisley forms, and stylised flowers, arranged in horizontal registers separated by fine beaded borders.

The form is the classic North Indian lassi cup — a slightly tapered cylinder, wider at the top, with a flat base. Simple, functional, and completely transformed by the engraving that covers it. The exterior has developed a warm, dark patina over 120-odd years that sits beautifully in the recesses of the engraving and throws every detail into sharp relief. The interior is silver-toned — a characteristic of Indian metalware of this period, where the interior finish was often treated differently from the exterior. The base carries a small maker's stamp — a nice detail that confirms this is a genuine piece rather than a later reproduction.

Use it as a pencil holder, a small vase for dried flowers, or simply as a beautiful object on a shelf. It has been doing its job for over a century and is in no hurry to stop.

• North Indian hand-engraved metalware, c.1900
• Warm copper-toned exterior with silver-toned interior
• Dense all-over floral, paisley and botanical engraving
• Horizontal registers with beaded border bands
• Small maker's stamp on base
• Good condition — patina consistent with age
• 11.5 × 8 cm, 293 g
• India, c.1900

WARNING: This cup will make your desk look considerably more interesting. Maison de L'oro accepts no responsibility for any subsequent object upgrades that may follow throughout your home.