Nepalese Goblet-Form Oil Lamp

A small dish on a pedestal, dark with age and still holding its dignity.

This goblet-form oil lamp is from Nepal, and dates to the 19th century. It is brass. The Kathmandu Valley has a long tradition of metalwork, and Newar craftsmen are known for casting brass and bronze objects for temples and homes. A shallow bowl sits on a knobbed stem above a stepped, bell-shaped foot. The surface is mottled in dark brown and olive with golden rubbing on the high points. The rim is slightly uneven and the foot shows a small dent. It is 1.75 inches wide, 1.75 deep, 2 high and 1.75 in diameter.

Small, heavy-looking, and entirely unbothered by the centuries.