JIJ Design Handmade Indian Brass Footed Bowl, c. 2000–2012
Viridian Eclection
The Piece A footed brass bowl in the tazza form: a deep round bowl on a turned and stepped circular foot, with two hand-formed scroll handles rising from the rim. Around the outside, below a pair o...
The Piece
A footed brass bowl in the tazza form: a deep round bowl on a turned and stepped circular foot, with two hand-formed scroll handles rising from the rim. Around the outside, below a pair of raised bands, runs a repeating laurel-leaf border worked in fine relief.
The handles are the best thing on it. Each is a flat brass strap bent into a tall open scroll, rolled over at the top and finished in a volute, and they are set slightly proud of the bowl so that light passes behind them.
The surface is a mottled russet and copper-orange with darker brown in the hollows and gold showing through on the raised bands and the leaf border. It is a finish rather than a patina, applied to make new brass read as aged metal, and it is done well. The bowl is heavy for its size and sits solid on its foot.
The underside of the foot carries the maker's paper label, intact and legible.
History & Provenance
The label names the importer, and the importer has a paper trail. J.I.J. Design, Inc. was a California importing firm, trading from 16801 Gale Avenue in City of Industry and earlier associated with Pico Rivera. United States Customs records place a container of its goods arriving on 22 November 2008, described on the bill of lading as artwares and handicrafts of brass and bone, candle stands and vases, 396 pieces, shipped by Vipin Exports of India. That is the one fixed point on this object: the firm was importing Indian brass artware, of exactly this description, in 2008. The company no longer trades.
The same model turns up in the firm's line in other metals, which is how a catalogue house works. Footed bowls of this pattern with scroll handles appear from JIJ in electroplated nickel silver as well as brass, some of them marked EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNED FOR JIJ DESIGN INC. U.S.A. The design was theirs; the making was done in India to their order.
That making is genuinely by hand and the label does not overstate it. The bowl is raised rather than spun, the two scroll handles are cut from strap and bent individually, which is why they are close but not identical twins, and the laurel border is chased rather than pressed in one stroke. India has supplied hand-worked brass to the American decorative trade for generations, with the workshops of Moradabad the centre of it.
On the customs record and the firm's trading life it is offered as c. 2000–2012, with 2008 the documented point and the rest inference. What it is not is antique, and the intact retail label says so plainly rather than leaving a buyer to work it out.
Product Details
| Type | Two-handled footed bowl, tazza form |
| Material | Solid brass, hand-raised |
| Ornament | Chased laurel-leaf border between raised bands; two formed scroll handles |
| Finish | Applied antiqued russet and copper colouring over brass |
| Marks | Paper label to the underside of the foot: JIJ DESIGN INC, MADE IN INDIA, HAND MADE SOLID BRASS |
| Importer | J.I.J. Design, Inc., City of Industry, California; no longer trading |
| Era | c. 2000–2012; the importer is documented in US customs records in 2008 |
| Width across handles | 11 in. |
| Bowl Diameter | 9 in. |
| Height | 6 in. |
| Condition | Excellent. Heavy, solid on its foot, handles firm. Finish even and unworn with no scratching through to bare metal. Paper label intact. No dents, splits or repairs. |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
The colour is what sells this. That russet and copper mottling sits beautifully against walnut, against green paint, against old leather books, and it reads as warm metal rather than shiny brass, which is the difference between a bowl that works in a styled room and one that fights it.
Fill it with pears in autumn, with ornaments in December, or leave it empty on a console and let the two scroll handles draw the eye. At eleven inches across it is a centrepiece without being a commitment.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
