Koftgari Box From Sialkot

In 19th century India, the main manufacturers of quality koftgari were in the Punjab region, Sialkot and Lahore. These two regions attracted many artisans during the Sikh Empire. When the demand for swords and shields began to decline, artisans focused on metalworking and extended their expertise to items like these. The box was made of forged steel and decorated with a very beautiful classic arabesque pattern in silver and gold koftgari. The combination of this type of koftgari is locally called “Ganga jamni” and is based on the meeting of two rivers. The base is decorated with a crosshatch pattern in damascened silver. The inside of the box is covered with a red velvet lining which is still intact.