{"product_id":"antique-bronze-candlestick","title":"Antique Bengali Anthropomorphic Brass Ritual Vessel in Goddess Form","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAn unusual and characterful antique vessel from Bengal, modelled as an anthropomorphic female figure and cast in brass. The pear shaped body rises to a finely worked head crowned with a tall lobed headdress, the opening of which sits at the very top. She is heavily adorned, with strings of necklaces, ornamented breasts, pronounced ears and a nose pierced on both sides that may once have carried nose rings. Incised bands and repeated triangular motifs run across the body, and the whole form stands on a circular stepped foot shaped like a flower collar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe piece measures 23 cm high and 9 cm across the base, hollow bodied and satisfyingly weighty in the hand. The surface carries a deep, aged patina, with soft green tones settled into the recesses and gentle wear to the high points of the headdress, all consistent with age and handling. Marks like these are part of its history and add to its character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eWe bought this from an auction house, where it was catalogued as a Middle Eastern bronze idol candle holder. Our own research since has turned up an exceptionally close comparison: a 23.1 cm example catalogued by Chiswick Auctions as a 19th century anthropomorphic brass water vessel from Bengal, India, thought to represent a goddess or semi divine figure and possibly used in ceremonies to gather water from the Ganges. The identity of the figure and the original ceremonial use remain unconfirmed, but the match in form, scale and decoration is striking. We share this so you can make up your own mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAn object with this much story asks to be seen. It works beautifully on a mantelpiece, a bookshelf or a console, grouped with collected metals and ceramics or standing alone as sculpture. Copper alloy antiques of this kind are often described interchangeably as brass or bronze; the exposed yellow metal here reads as brass, though copper alloy is the safest technical description without testing. Sold as photographed.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Blue Loft","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53870670971207,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0850\/3921\/9015\/files\/733E686B-9E85-431A-9123-1A6FCA1A2A5A.jpg?v=1778177432","url":"https:\/\/www.theblueloft.co.uk\/products\/antique-bronze-candlestick","provider":"The Blue Loft","version":"1.0","type":"link"}