A large ‘wedding or bridal coffer’ with a pyramid lid, from the Pathans in the Swat Valley. An important object belonging to the ‘culture of wood’ in the Hindu Kush Mountains in North Pakistan. Dowries and endowments for brides from well-off families were preserved in coffers such as these. All parts of the coffer are made from Himalayan cedar wood. They are either pieced together, mortised or connected with a ‘tongue and groove joint’. There are no nails in this impressive object. The crest, that takes the form of a rectangular pyramid (height: c. 60 cm) is crowned with a carved peacock. A small door has been built into the sloping right side of the pyramid. It allows access to the interior of the pyramid, which, on its front, visible three sides is decorated with deeply carved floral and leafy reliefs. The actual ‘body’ of the coffer is supported by four corner pillars. These are carved, above with small ‘domed towers’, and below with bands in relief. At the same time they also serve as stands. The front section of the coffer is divided in half: the left, fixed half is adorned with a central, flower-like ‘sun wheel’ that is framed above and below with horizontal, curved leafy and floral tendrils in relief. In the right half of the front section a sliding door opens into the large interior of this splendid piece of furniture. The outer surfaces of the sliding door display a detailed rhombus decor and hatched borders. To the right on the outer edge there is a sturdy, semicircular, carved, openwork flower that acts as a handle. There is also a closure made from a forged, iron chain and an attached iron eyelet. Overall a rare, old ‘museum-quality’ piece. It has some shiny usage patina in parts with no noticeable damage. Complete, large Pathan ‘wedding or bridal coffers’ such as this, from the Hindu Kush Mountains in North Pakistan are extremely rare even in private or museum collections (e.g in the British Museum in London, in the Linden Museum in Stuttgart and in very few other museums).
Dimensions: 152 cm x 124 cm x 60 cm.
Between c. 1900 and the first third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection. Lit.:
‘Swat Bauern und Baumeister im Hindukusch’ by Johannes Kalter, ill. 161.