This gilded silver vessel is in the shape of a kendi, which is a ritual vessel in Southeast Asia, based on an earlier Indian water pitcher. Two decorative panels with Chinese style landscapes cast in relief are on either side of the bulbous body. Chinese silversmiths began to produce large amounts of silver for export to the West at the end of the eighteenth century. This one is a rare example of a kendi shaped vessel, and could have been made for the Southeast Asian market.
