Indian Opium Container -19th Century Style - Huluping 'Double Gourd' Vase now serving as a sculptural

now serving as a sculptural object for display

The front panels would originally have been fixed and this cabinet would have opened from the top

Used with natural vegetable dyes

The chariots are decorated with carved teak images - mostly of religious significance

Indian Opium Container -19th Century Style - Huluping 'Double Gourd' Vase now serving as a sculpturalThis 19th century opium container from Rajasthan is carved from a single piece of Roheda wood (Tecomella undulata), a native species of the Thar Desert also known as Marwar teak. Fitted with a brass rimmed opening, it once served as a portable vessel for storing opium or tobacco, used by desert caravan traders to ease the fatigue and monotony of long journeys. With its deep patina, timeworn surface, and tactile form, the piece embodies both cultural