The great door. We are always searching for exceptional items for our collection, many don’t make the grade, but every now and then something very special is found. This was the case with this door from the Rajasthan state of India. Its presence commanded the space it occupied, not just in its size, but also in grandeur.
We have many doors but nothing else was quite like this. The scale and intricacy of its carvings, the tones of the wood and patina and it’s shear size. This was one very special door.
The Great Door – Provenance
While the origin has long since been lost, we do know it comes from the state of Rajasthan in northern India, it’s around 150 year old and is made from old growth Teak wood. Its big, we estimate the door and frame weigh between 180-225kg (400 -500lb).
The Carving
The carving on the great door and frame is very intricate and seems to be a mix of Mughal and Hindu with some western influences. No direct Hindu deities can be seen but the extent of work done is very impressive. The combination of the door and its frame work very well together. The the overall look is both commanding and awe-inspiring.
We had to have it,. Our clients trust our judgement and like the unusual, the special and something different. This door fitted the bill in every way. So with many hands and a lot of effort it joined the other items we had collected on the trip. It made its long way to our store in Chiang Mai.
Again, many hands (6 men) placed the door in its temporary home here at our store. For those of you in the area, we can highly recommend a visit in person to see an item such as this. Hurry, before it finds its new owner who will become a personal part of this beautiful door’s long history.
