Wrought Iron Opium Retort From Jaisalmer - 19th Century Indonesia Mongolia border area

Mongolia border area

9 x 9 x 13 (wxdxh cms)

This piece features two drawers with original metal ring pulls

This rare antique Japanese cabinet with drawers is very unusual and known as a Shomon Dansu

Wrought Iron Opium Retort From Jaisalmer - 19th Century Indonesia Mongolia border areaThis old Indian iron opium retort (or hemp filter) was used for filtering raw opium through a cotton bag. This one unusually has four rings for straining of opium and four intertwining snakes. It dates to the 19th century and would have been part of Rajasthani traditional opium consumption. The iron is delicately etched and these stands were hand wrought by Lohar blacksmiths in Rajasthan. They would have filtered the opium water which would then have