Tobacco box, parcel gilt silver, Sumatra, 18th-19th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19TH CENTURY
A PARCEL GILT SILVER TOBACCO BOX, SUMATRA, INDONESIA, 18TH/19TH CENTURY of elongated octagonal form, the slightly concave hinged lid set with bosses, the sides with chased and repousse vegetal decoration, a line of jawi script along the top at the front, the underside with twelve further lines of jawi on either side of a foliate urn motif, the interior with two compartments with removable divider, 3.7 x 12 x 5cm The inscriptions are difficult to read, but have been translated: This states that this is the tobacco box of the head of the district of [...], the value of the silver is twenty rupiah, the gold is ten loose riah, and the workmanship is six loose riah.
It was completed at the beginning of the month of Ramadan; the maker is Tuan Raja Alisu Syartu, the head of [...] it was he who made it; and God knows best. (base); The one who wrote this is the son of a person of Siakumu Siak[?] (front edge) (Trans: A. T. Gallop on behalf of the vendor) Provenance: Property of Geoffrey Saba, London
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Material (listing wording)
- parcel gilt silver
- Dimensions or weight (listing wording)
- 3.7 x 12 x 5cm
Identification
- Source note
- Auction-house description published on Invaluable; the text keeps only the listing's object facts (condition, price and sale wording removed). Attribution and measurements describe the photographed example; independent type authentication remains research required.
- Candidate id
- inv-197327067
- Auction house
- Olympia Auctions
- Listing object ID
- 197327067
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and dating against a specialist reference; this entry documents one recorded example.