Thai Temple Cho Fa

Intricately hand-carved, the panel depicts a central medallion of a lotus flower and leaves from Thailand and made from teak wood. Originally these circular medallions were found on...

This monumental Indian column once supported part of the entrance or courtyard cloister in a grand mansion. Originally part of a series, this individual column is all that remains. The piece comes in multiple stacked segments, distributing the weight of the original structure from its floral motif capital through its stone plinth. Only one is available. Origin: Rajasthan, India, 19th century. During the colonial period, Indian traders amassed huge fortunes and some of that wealth found its way into mansions and palaces. A hundred or more years later, many (if not most) of these structures are obsolete or the fortunes of their owners have dwindled. Many are in urban areas in which land is very valuable now and aggressively sought for multi-storey buildings. Old single-storey mansions are often disassembled piece-by piece and the parts sold on the international market. India is one of very few countries that have the labor supply to decommission old structures in this meticulous way. The column could be used in an architectural, load-bearing way or as a free-standing decoration...