Thai Silver Toh Tazza

Engraved & Pierced Silver Footed Offering Dish (Toh)

Footed fishes or tazzas such as the example here were used in Thailand to hold offerings that were placed on altars, to hold gifts at weddings and to hold betel sets.

They appear to show Islamic influence with their star-shaped tops and most probably the originated in the Islamic south of Thailand where Malay silversmiths and brass casters made tazzas for weddings and other similar events.

This example has been made by a localised Chinese silversmith, probably in Bangkok. The rim of the dish is perforated and decorated with humming birds amid prunus blossoms. The centre of the dish is engraved with a peony against a tooled ground and surrounded by a petal border.

The waisted stem and base are engraved with more flower and leaf motifs; the base is also pierced.

The base is stamped with two Chinese ideograms. One reads ‘yuan yin’ (

原銀

) or ‘pure silver’. Th other reads Liu Tong He (

劉通合

) which is probably the maker’s name (Liu being the family name).

The item is in fine condition and is without losses, dents or repairs.