Ship 
c. 1926 
Mother of Pearl

This model of a ship mounted on a stand, has sails made of mother-of-pearl and a small thimble holder. A miniature ship is also seen painted on it. In India, Ahmedabad, Surat and Khambat (Cambay) were the main centres for the production of decorative mother of pearl objects exclusively for export.

Mother of Pearl is the layer formed inside the shell of molluscs. The production of decorative objects in mother of pearl found patronage under Mughal rule in the Indian subcontinent. Growing trade between Europe and Asia from 16th century onwards made mother of pearl articles popular in the European market.