Antique 19th Century Silver Sri Lankan Tobacco Box

This tobacco box is adorned with beautiful silver panels, decorated with repoussé floral scrolls. The hinged lid and sides of the box have been decorated with repoussé and chasing, while the underside of the base also has engraved ornamentation. Dating from the late 19th century. Its design has been carefully considered and the workmanship is of very high quality and fine workmanship. The lid panel shows heads of 'Rakshasa', probably 'Ravana', demon king of the Lankan Islands, and a holy man, and could be the Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree. The end panels depict a two-headed bird, called a gandaberunda, and the sides show two confronting 'Yali', all surrounded by scrolled vines.