Rosewater Sprinkler (Gulabpash/Gulabdani)

The dense pattern of small blossoms and unfurling leaves that covers this vessel suggests that it was produced in Kachchh, a coastal kingdom in northwestern India. The custom of sprinkling guests with cool, scented rosewater originated in Iran. As vessels like this one demonstrate, the practice was adopted by elites at Hindu and Muslim courts and, later, by wealthy Europeans in India. During the 19th century, the Hindu monarchs of Kachchh promoted its silverware through diplomatic gifts and at international exhibitions in London, Paris, and the United States, where its floral patterns proved popular with consumers.