Burmese Silver Bowl

Repoussed Silver Bowl

Burma

late 19th century

diameter: 16.5cm, height: 11cm, weight: 702g

This colonial Burmese bowl is repoussed with various panels of scenes of multiple figures in Burmese dress, all in high relief. The scenes show three Burmese chinthei lions, elephants and so on, all against a finely engraved background of scrolling leaves.

The lower frieze comprises a wide band of finely rendered, repeated leaf motifs.

The upper frieze comprises an engraved band of petal motifs.

The base is engraved within a central peacock motif. Some claim that such designs engraved to the bases of bowls are ‘signatures’ of the maker. It is possible however that they might also be purely decorative.

The shape of such bowls are based on Burmese Buddhist monks’ plain metal begging bowls, but they have no utilitarian function whatsoever and were intended to be purely decorative.

References

Fraser-Lu, S., Silverware of South-East Asia, Oxford University Press, 1989.

Fraser-Lu, S., Burmese Crafts: Past and Present, Oxford University Press, 1994.

Tilly, H.L., The Silverwork of Burma (with Photographs by P. Klier), The Superintendent, Government Printing, 1902.

Tilly, H.L., Modern Burmese Silverwork (with Photographs by P. Klier), The Superintendent, Government Printing, 1904.

Provenance: UK art market

Inventory no.: 2451

SOLD