| Place | Asia: Ceylon, Colombo |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL47233 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Brass |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Place made | Ceylon: Colombo |
| Date made | c 1919 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Source credit to | This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government. |
Decorated Ceylonese box: Captain Harold Arthur Barker, 15 Machine Gun Company, AIF
Description
Decorated beaten brass rectangular lidded box, featuring decorations of elephants, gandhabherunda (a two-headed bird sacred to the Hindu religion) and a stupa. These feature on the box sides and lid, interspersed with decorative vines, fruit and leaves. The underside of the box is decorated with regular geometric patterns and there are four ball feet soldered to the base. The designs are achieved through a combination of hammer work, incision, some piercings and decorative punches.
History / Summary
Related to the First World War service of 43 Captain Harold Arthur Barker, 15 Machine Gun Company, DCM. This box is likely to have been purchased by Barker during his return trip to Australia in 1919 aboard the transport 'Delta', which berthed at Colombo, Ceylon, on its return.
This box provides a good example of the types of commercial souvenirs and Indian handicrafts purchased by diggers travelling to and from the First World War. Souvenirs like this were purchased for their exotic qualities and as a tangible reminder of overseas travel.