Beautiful and unusually ornate vintage surma dani / kohl container with its original applicator, featuring elaborate hand-worked silver-tone metal decoration.
The container is richly embellished on both sides with green cabochons, applied crescent moons, small floral/rosette motifs, stylized foliate leaves, twisted-wire scrollwork and raised granulated/beaded details. The dimensional construction and dense ornamentation give this piece wonderful visual depth and make it especially striking as an ethnographic or traditional cosmetic collectible.
The removable stopper retains its slender approximately 1.5” applicator rod, originally used to apply surma/kohl. Containers of this general type have longstanding traditions across the Middle East and South Asia, with museum collections documenting metal kohl containers accompanied by applicator sticks.
Measurements: approximately 3.75” H × 2” W × 1” D
Weight: approximately 62 grams
Applicator: approximately 1.5”
Condition:
Vintage pre-owned condition with age-related patina, oxidation/tarnish, surface wear and darkening, including dark residue/oxidation around the bottle opening. Please review photographs closely as they are part of the condition description. Metal content has not been tested and no sterling or silver purity is being claimed. Exact geographic origin and age are unknown.
Background:
Surma dani were made to hold powdered kohl and often incorporated an applicator into the stopper or attached assembly. Surviving examples vary dramatically by region and workmanship, from relatively simple functional containers to highly ornamented objects. Museum examples document silver and silver-alloy versions decorated with floral or punched metalwork.
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