Featured Late 18th-early-19th Century Khatam-kari what to look for and why

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by 808 raver, Sep 13, 2020.

  1. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    I am still amazed to find these works of art relatively inexpensive in some well known online auctions, especially given their eye watering hammer prices once recognized in high end auction houses.
    Perhaps it's because I know what to look for but to me it isn't that hard to tell the difference between a modern work and a 19-18thc one.
    Ok so I'm going to tell you how to tell the difference.
    In the last photo there is a band of overlay that is made of tiny bits of ebony and ivory this is never in modern works and always in old works, it was almost impossible to do then and in modern ones never attempted.
    Of course there are many other differences, far more overlays per square inch in antique works ect but if you can recognize an old one then the profits can be massive.
    A few words on condition, you would expect these to have to be in top condition to fetch big money in auction but that isn't the case, often these have had some restoration or even chunks of overlays missing.
    I will put some links to see what I mean.
    My ones are all in original condition.

    https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio
    https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio
    https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...HK4woIim-uyeXPVew8weduGRjHh_J9a8eOyFEHYTqirio 118995638_774727456695563_8934271468819012115_o.jpg 119042707_774728000028842_8162198371825685538_o.jpg 119055765_774727516695557_7836793273292450421_o.jpg 119061197_774728136695495_1983280849145160081_o.jpg 119127211_774728083362167_7114026855455592289_o.jpg 119230527_777523466415962_6606510030332871953_o.jpg 119224645_777523619749280_6573485199144346082_o.jpg 119301990_777523549749287_1992890106946556608_o.jpg 119235581_777523699749272_4060010199483946094_o.jpg 119048864_774728220028820_8171464644019805675_o.jpg
     
  2. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Sorry Bonhams link is a bad example lol
     
    Any Jewelry and Modest Muse like this.
  3. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

  4. antidiem

    antidiem Well-Known Member

    Wow thanks for showing all of this detail and discussion, @808 raver !!
    Your examples are beautiful. What are the small dishes used for?
     
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  5. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Thank you,the dishes are trays, they are 11 inches wide, I suspect they might have been attached to a life sized figure or figures? They do have paint on the bottom but also a pattern where something was attached.
     
    antidiem and Any Jewelry like this.
  6. Modest Muse

    Modest Muse Active Member

    Love these old Qajar pieces; still functional and beautiful in any space. How tall is it?
     
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  7. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    It's not everyone's cup of tea but I also like them. It's the largest fall front I've found so far, it measures 50x44x30 cm HWD
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
    Modest Muse, antidiem and Any Jewelry like this.
  8. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

    I like this kind of stuff - very intricate and precise. The cheaper modern stuff, like this frame that came with a touristy mughal-style painting, seems to be little more than printed paper:
    Painting Mughal Persian India Musicians Dancer -c.JPG
     
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  9. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Yes the modern stuff is cut very thin by machine rather than by hand and also the materials are copper rather than gold and plastic rather than ivory, the overlays PSI aren't as many either but it still takes a very skilled person to do these works.
    Unfortunately once the piece is over 100 years or so the laccer starts to degrade and becomes cloudy hiding the intricacy of the overlay.
     
    antidiem likes this.
  10. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

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