A silver zoomorphic ritual water vessel (goumukhi)
Kutch, 19th Centuryof deep oval form with flattened top and removable lid on a stepped splayed foot, the spout in the form of a cow's head, the handle in the form of a cobra, the lid of domed form with knop finial, with areas of chased and embossed scrolling foliate vine decoration to the foot, top, and surrounding the spout, with lobed cartouches to each side enclosing further foliate vine and a lingam, a band of leaves to the underside of the body
37 cm. long, 2381 g. 注脚Vessels of this type were used to carry and pour sacred water from the Ganges and are imbued with religious symbolism: the cow, serpent and lingam all carry associations of fertility and abundance. The Shaivite symbolism of the lingam and the Cobra-form handle denote the use of vessels such as these by sadhus and the form of the body is said to derive from animal skin flasks that these holy men would originally have used to carry Ganges water.

An almost identical example was sold at Christie's, The Collection of Paul F. Walter, New York, 26-27 September 2017, lot 242. This example was published in W. Wilkinson, exhib. catalogue, Reflecting Power: Three Schools of Indian Silver, Indar Pasricha Fine Arts, London, 2008. Another example with a coco-de-mer body is published in Mughal Silver Magnificence, XVI-XIXth C., Brussels, 1987, p.170, no. 261.