Description

A traditional Indian sideboard is known as a Damchiya, or Dowry Chest. This old red painted teak Dowry Chest has fine patination, with horse finials to the upper corners. It is called a majus in Hindi. Traditionally the bride’s family had to offer gifts known as dowry to the bridegroom’s family if they were to find a good husband for their daughter. Dowry was normally gold jewellery and silk saris, but sometimes brass cooking pots and other family treasures were exchanged. A horse bracket frames each top corner of the Chest and there is significant remains of old paint on this example from the nineteenth century, which makes for a beautiful antique piece. Indian Damchiya Chests are usually rustic, carved or painted, and most of our pieces are from Rajasthan & Gujarat in western India. All of our Damchiya Chests are original antiques and made from hard teak wood. Some minor restoration may have been required to ensure the Chest reaches you in original but fully functional solid condition. This Damchiya or Indian hope chest is an old piece and there are some historic repairs and age related marks and wear and tear as you would expect. Today the chests are used as sideboards, consoles, drinks cabinets or beautiful storage units. This is a unique one of piece which was made by hand many years ago and has stunning hand carved detailing, combined with fabulous original red paintwork, and a lovely patina which really shows its age and history. Please be sure to check all photos as these form part of the description.