Mongolian Eating Bowl

Silver & Burlwood Eating Bowl

This fine tea bowl is of burlwood, probably rhododendron burlwood, with silver mounts cast, chased and engraved in high relief and inset with coral and turquoise cabochons. The interior is entirely covered with hammered sheet silver.

Made by a Chinese workshop either in or for the Mongolian market, the silver rim on the base is stamped twice with two Chinese marks which are largely illegible but most probably provide a brand name for the workshop that made the bowl.

The lower section of the outside of the bowl is decorated with a silver frieze that includes Himalayan Buddhist symbols such as the vase and the two fish, amid fine, scrolling foliage.

The bowl is in very fine condition. The burlwood has one vertical shrinkage-related crack; but this is minor. The interior has light, small dents which are important for showing that the bowl was actually used for its intended purpose, having been jabbed at with chopsticks. There are no losses to the silverwork or cabochon stones. Overall, the bowl is a fine example with a fine patina, and obvious age.

Sheeks, R., ‘Tibetan and Mongolian tsampa boxes’, Arts of Asia, March-April 1996.

UK art market