A FINE SILVER RITUAL TRAY (KATORA) WITH THE FIGURE OF NANDI PROPERTY FROM THE JOURDAN-BARRY COLLECTION OF INDIAN ART Rajasthan, North Western India, early 18th century Made of five distinct parts, resting on asteppedrectangular base, above it Shiva's bull Nandi greeting the beholder with its front right paw raised, a parcel-gilt vegetal stem germinating from its back and blooming into an offering dish in the shape of an open flower,with an everted rim designed as a corolla, the centre raised to hold candles, Nandi's tray sliding backward to reveal space for written prayers, maker's marks in front of Nandi and on the dish itself, approximately 31cm high. This exquisite and highly accomplished example of traditional Indian silversmiths' production shares several features with another katoraillustrated and described by Terlinden in her publication Mughal Silver Magnificence 16th - 19th century, Brussels, 1987, p. 171, cat. 263. The stepped base, the sliding tray and the vegetal-themed stem appear to be recurrent characteristics of these Rajasthani silver offering trays, differentiated mostly by the vahana(vehicle) of the worshipped Hindu deity to whom the offerings are directed.