Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj

“Delight in Design: Indian Silver for the Raj” was the title of a 2008 exhibition at Columbia University’s Miriam & Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery. The show has come and gone, but the exhibition’s website remains a terrific overview of Indian silversmithing from seven of the subcontinent’s most productive silver centers. The site boasts numerous examples of exquisitely detailed silver produced by Indian craftsmen, from Kutch to Kashmir to Calcutta, between 1858 and 1947. Pieces include tea services, goblets, beer mugs, claret jugs, calling-card cases, and bowls, all from the collections of Paul F. Walter and Julian Sands.