An Indo-portuguese cabinet with later stand, probably Goa, India, late 17th century

the teak cabinet of rectangular form with hinged lid revealing a compartmentalised interior, supported on four turned legs with bun feet, the exterior cabinet decorated all over with rosewood marquetry and ivory inlay, with pairs of confronted birds and meandering and undulating foliate scrolls with geometric borders, brass drop handles to sides with openwork brass escutcheons and lock plate, bud knob to drawer and lid

loss to inside right leg, loss to interior, as viewed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The style of the inlay, the paired bird motif and the brass openwork mounts conform to a group of cabinets and chests made for the Portuguese market, and attributed to Goa. Jaffer has noted stylistic affinities with fitted chests and cabinets in the new Sacristry of the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa; these purpose-built fittings must have been made in Goa or the surrounding region and were installed between 1654 and 1698. (Jaffer 2002, pp.56-7, no.21).

A number of comparable seventeenth-century inlaid pieces are published, including a cabinet in the Victoria and Albert Museum (ibid. p.56), a chest in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon (Bordeaux 1998, p.45, fig.6) and a scribe's box in a private collection in Portugal (Dias 2002, p.60). The twinned birds are variously identified as the heraldic eagles of Goa, or the mythological jatayu, king of the vultures in the Ramayana (Jaffer 2002, p.57).