Casket
Unknown Artist
ca. 1760–65
Medium
Ebony and engraved ivory, tortoiseshell; mirror glass; silver hardware; brass feet; iron lock
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 5 1/4 × 20 5/8 × 14 in. (13.3 × 52.4 × 35.6 cm)
Classification
Natural Substances-Ivory
Culture
Indian, Vizagapatam
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The James Parker Charitable Foundation Gift, 2016
Accession Number
2016.115
Art Historical Context
This exquisite casket, crafted around 1760–65 in Vizagapatam (modern-day Visakhapatnam, India), exemplifies the region's renowned workshops that produced luxurious decorative objects for European export. Measuring a compact 5¼ × 20⅝ × 14 inches, it features a sturdy ebony frame inlaid with finely engraved ivory, shimmering tortoiseshell, and mirror glass, accented by silver hardware, brass feet, and an iron lock. These materials highlight the masterful blend of local resources—ebony from India's forests and ivory from its wildlife—with imported European fittings, creating a portable treasure c...