Carved 19th C. Folk Art Asian-Indian Painted Tika w/ Pivoting Lid

Antiques : Folk Art : Indian Carved Tika

 

Sweetpea Cottage is offering this wonderful primitively carved box with a pivoting lid. Called a tika it is most likely from India, Nepal, or Tibet. Boxes such as this were used to hold decorative paint, or make-up. Many of these boxes often held the pigment that was used by people of the Hindu faith for the mark that they place on their foreheads. This information is consistent with the storage areas in the box and the residues of pigment that are still highly visible.

Our research suggests that this box is at least 100 years old dating from the last quarter of the 19th century. We are unable to establish the wood that it is made out of, but it is dark and very dense. The inside is divided into five compartments that have been scooped, or carved, out of the wood. The lid is attached with a single nail on one end and designed so that it will swing to the side in order to open the box. On top of the lid there is a chip carved fern, or leaf, design. The carved design is deep and well executed. The total length of the box is about 7 ½ inches long, 4 ½ inches wide at the widest point and about 2 7/8 inches tall. The inside has a bright reddish-orange pigment residue left in several of the compartments. The original nail used to pivot the lid is gone but has been replaced. The outside has been painted dark blue which has been worn off in many spots. It has a marvelous patina, giving a dark coloration that can only be obtained from years of heavy usage in somebody’s hands. There are some splits, chips and cracks that are consistent with the age of the piece and its use as the wood dries.

If you collect primitive art, then you should find this to be a fascinating item that will stand out in your collection. It would be great for holding small trinkets on your desk or a surprise gift box holding a small piece of jewelry for someone special. You can buy with confidence from Sweetpea Cottage. We stand behind everything that we sell. If you wish to return your purchase for any reason, simply notify us by email of your intentions within 3 days of receiving the item. We then ask that you return it to us in its original condition in a timely fashion. At that time we will refund the full purchase price minus any shipping charges. Shipping for this box is $10.00 which includes insurance for the full value of the item.

Item ID: AntBTB-325