Thai or Cambodian Repoussed Silver Bowl

This fine, good-sized silver bowl looks like a Burmese silver bowl, but actually is from either Thailand or Cambodia. Which is impossible to say – the silversmiths of both countries use similar motifs and scenes largely based on the localised version of the Indian-epic, the Ramayana. Furthermore, many of the silversmiths were of ethnic Chinese extraction, were somewhat itinerant and tended to move between both regions.

The bowl, with tapering sides, has no foot but a plain, rounded bottom.

The sides have four prominent cartouches repoussed with scenes from the Ramayana. Between these are elaborate spiky vegetal motifs influenced by the flame motif (known in Thailand as the kranok) as well as prominent protective kirtimukha masks.

The lower register is decorated with a lotus petal band, and the upper border features a think band of flaming vegetal scrollwork.

The bowl is free of dents and repairs and is without maker’s marks.