Silver Art Deco freedom casket, of Indian interest

This rectangular silver casket is raised upon a protruding base that is supported by four Art Deco style feet, one at each corner. The chamfered edge of this base is adorned with foliate borders, executed in a rich and detailed manner. The casket features canted corners and is topped by a hinged lid, the lid ornamented with likewise foliate borders and surmounted by a crest formed of the Colonial Arms of Bombay. The front of the casket is adorned with a large central cartouche (the inscription transcribed below) that is flanked by two panels, each portraying a different building. The reverse of the casket features a similar cartouche, this one vacant, also flanked by two panels, one depicting a double-decker bus and the other a tram. The sides of the casket are mounted with drop ring handles in the Art Deco manner, and the canted corners of the casket also feature Art Deco motifs.

The interior of the casket is lined with rich red velvet.

The inscription reads: 'Presented to / Mr. A. L. Guildford, B.Sc. M.I.E.E. / By / The Officers and Staff of / The Bombay Electrical Supply and Transport / Undertaking as a Memento / On his Retirement / 22nd April 1949'.