{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O73990"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O73990/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HG8057/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HG8057/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HG8057","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HG8058","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HG8061","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AH0841","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA7319","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KA7414","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O73990/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O73990","accessionNumber":"1479-1904","objectType":"Ewer","titles":[{"title":"Ewer","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This extremely fine ewer was made in the Deccan region of India in the mid-17th century and belongs to a class of metalwares known as \"bidri\". Bidri is a technique known only in the Indian subcontinent, and takes its name from the city of Bidar, in the present-day state of Karnatika, where it is thought to have originated. Its origins are unknown, but  surviving pieces date from the late 16th or early 17th century. Bidri objects are cast from an alloy in which zinc predominates, though small amounts of lead, copper and tin may also be found. The decoration may be inlaid with silver, or silver and brass, as here, or overlaid with silver wires hammered onto a cross-hatched surface. The final stage of the process is to apply a saline mud paste over the entire surface which changes the dull grey of the alloy to a matt black without affecting the decoration. The exact chemical process which takes place is still unidentified. After removal, the surface of the piece would be rubbed with oil.  \r\nThis ewer has an inscription in Persian inlaid on the rim of the neck and is meant to indicate that the ewer was made for Timur, the Central Asian ruler from whom the Mughal emperors were descended. It has a date corresponding to 1406-7, but is not authentic, as shown by the 17th century shape of the ewer, and the failure to follow the standard protocol for Timur.","physicalDescription":"Birdi ware ewer, made from a metal alloy in which zinc predominates but includes small amounts of copper, tin. Inlaid with silver and brass with the design reserved against the black ground. floral design all over.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"zinc alloy","id":"AAT11000"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bidri, inlaid with silver and brass","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2014HG8057","2014HG8058","2014HG8061","2006AH0841","2017KA7319","2017KA7414"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CB014","id":"THES393439"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ewer","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Deccan","id":"x31972"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"mid 17th century","earliest":"1625-01-01","latest":"1675-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bought (Source not recorded)","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"28.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"18.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"In silver on the rim: amiluhu usta/husayn isfahani/ Sultan/amir Teymur Kurka/ni [a Persian distich follows] sanata hasht sad o noh","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"The maker Husayn Isfahani Sultan Amir Teymur Kurkani, in the year 809.","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"The inscription is meant to indicate that the ewer was made for Timur, with a date corresponding to 1406-7. This is not authentic, as shown by the failure to follow the standard protocol for Timur, and the linguistic compromise between Arabic and Persian. The shape is datable to the middle of the 17th century on the basis of comparison with representations of similar ewers in paintings."}],"objectHistory":"Bought (Source not recorded). This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Ewer, Bidri, inlaid with silver and brass, Deccan, mid-17th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"\r\nSusan Stronge, Bidri Ware. Inlaid Metalwork from India, Victoria and Albert Museum, cat. 2, pp. 39-40\r\nGuy, J., and Swallow, D., (eds). ‘Arts of India: 1550-1900’. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990. ISBN 1851770224p. 118, pl.97.\r\nMark Zebrowski, Gold, Silver & Bronze from Mughal India, Alexandria Press in association with Laurence King, London 1997, pl. 225, 432\r\nSusan Stronge. ‘Collecting Mughal Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum’, in Stephen Vernoit, ed. Discovering Islamic Art. Scholars, Collectors and Collections, 1850-1950. I.B. Tauris, London, 2000,  pp. 85-95 (fig. 18, p. 92)\r\nPaul Craddock, Joe Cribb, Noel Gale and Lalit Gurjar, 'Sources of zinc in early India: The evidence of numismatics, trade and lead isotope analysis', 140-149 (see Figure 7), in S. Srinivasan, S. Ranganathan and A. Giumlia-Mair, eds Metals and Civilisations, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore 2015."},{"reference":{"text":"Skelton, Robert, et al, <i>The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule</i> London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982","id":"AUTH352798"},"details":"p. 149, cat. no. 469","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"floral pattern","id":"AAT10135"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"8. EWER\r\nBidri inlaid with silver and brass\r\nDeccan\r\nMid 17th century\r\n1479-1904\r\nOn the rim, inlaid in silver, is a spurious inscription linking the ewer with the famous ruler of Samarkand, Timur-i Leng. Although dated 809 of the Muslim era, corresponding to AD 1406-7, the inscription was probably added in the 19th century.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["1479-1904"],"accessionNumberNum":"1479","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1904,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-30","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-06","availableToBook":false}}