Coiling serpents and blooming petals converge in this breathtaking silver wine carafe- a vessel where symbolism, sumptuous design, and refined craftsmanship unite in luminous harmony. Drawing inspiration from the traditional North Indian surahi, this form is elevated with a dramatic reinterpretation: a tall, slender neck ascends from a broad, flattened spherical base. Its surface is adorned with vegetal and floral designs rendered in the celebrated Kashmiri “shawl pattern,” a motif that echoes the region’s famed textile tradition. The lower body burst into a rhythmic pattern of petal-like forms. Yet it is the handle that seizes attention—a bold trio of entwined snakes, their twisting bodies sculpted with striking realism. Two heads rise protectively around the pouring lip, while the third crowns the hinged lid, echoing the curvature of the spout in a subtle gesture of design brilliance. A closely related example is beautifully explored by Vidya Dehejia in Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj, p. 156.
