Women’s Toiletry Box

This painted wooden toiletry box in the shape of a tiger contains a number of things that a royal lady required in the confines of the zenana. These include different pairs of scissors, knives, a fork, a hammer and an anvil, a magnifying glass, a razor, a saw, spoons, a tweezer, a file, a nail cutter, an ear cleaner, a kohl applier, a nut-cracker, a pen, a ruler, a comb and a miniature painting
Only refined materials have been employed: jade, ivory, damascened steel and mother of pearl with a generous use of gilt and gold painting. Another opening on a back of the tiger reveals a chaupad, a game akin to the Chinese ludo, with ivory pawns and dice, a shatranj, chess set, complete with chessmates, a pack of ganjifa, playing cards, a scale with rattis, tiny weights to weigh gold and precious jewels. A manuscript with a magnifying glass and painted ivory bottles of perfume.