Four Burmese Silver Plaques with Courtly Scenes

These four plaques of solid silver, are repoussed in high relief each with two adults and an infant, all in traditional Burmese courtly dress and all in extremely fine detail.

Two of the plaques are with a male child, and the other two show a female child.

The females in the plaques are shown wearing sarong-like longyis woven with the acheik pattern which traditional was reserved for members of the court. The Burmese men shown are dressed as princes or kings, with elaborate cascading costumes and high crowns.

Each group is shown standing on either an elevated platform on outdoor terrain. All are beneath an arch delineated with floral and leafy scrolls.

Three of the plaques include applique work as well, where the spires of the crowns have been made separately and soldered carefully to the rest of the composition to provide a genuinely three-dimensional.

It is the first time we have encountered plaques such as these. Usually, Burmese silver items are decorative and functional. These plaques on the other hand are simply decorative and perhaps were to demonstrate a master silversmith’s skill. It is possible that they were made to be inserted into some larger item but we have never seen Burmese silver plaques used in this way.

Each of these exquisitely worked plaques is in excellent condition.