In Siam’s Temples and Palaces Glittering Little Figures Dance to Strange Music

Keystone View Company

Late 19th-early 20th century

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Ducks, Watanabe Seitei, Published by Nishinomiya Yosaku, ink and color on paper
C-11 A stunning 19th-century Indian silver tea service, comprised of teapot, sugar bowl, and cream jug. The pieces are decorated with swami-style stylized Indian deities set in oval cartouches, with Madras-style leaf and bead borders. (Although the service was made in Calcutta, by Cooke & Kelvey, it is the firm of Peter Orr and the region of Madras that are more usually associated with swami style than Calcutta.) Each piece has four cast lion’s-paw feet, but the stylistic pièce de résistance is the spout: an elephant head—with well-formed tusks and upraised trunk.
A single hawk on a pine branch
Round fan with calligraphy