Asian Antiques from Burma and Thailand

February 23rd, 2011

It’s no secret that authentic Asian antiques are becoming increasingly difficult to locate. Older antique dealers in Thailand often reminisce about times long gone by when you could buy Burmese opium weights in kilo bags for a song and old Burmese lacquerware was stacked up to the ceiling in their shops. The popularity of Asian antiques in America and Europe over the past few decades has led to a steady decline in supply in the region. Rare styles of opium weights, antique bronze bells, larger antique bronze sculptures and artefacts in general are all requiring a little more time and effort to track down. That being said, we recently returned from a trip during which we acquired several impressive new items from Burma and Thailand that we would like to feature.

Antique Burmese Lacquerware
Antique Burmese Lacquerware

Featured here are two large Burmese lacquerware vessels known as pyi-daung that were once used to carry offerings of rice to Buddhist temples and in the middle, a rare antique gold gilded Buddhist manuscript known as kammavaca that was presented to the Buddhist temple when a young monk ordained. View our Lacquerware Collection

Burmese Opium Weights
Burmese Opium Weights

Here are three rare forms of Burmese ‘opium weights’ dating back to the 1600s. These bronze zoomorphic figurines were used to weigh a variety of materials including precious metals, spices and medicines. They have become popular collectibles and represent a bygone era in Burmese history with production ceasing during the 1800s while under British rule. View our Opium Weight Collection

Antique Bronze Bells
Antique Bronze Bells

Three antique bells from the 19th century- the spherical bell is an elephant bell while the other two are pastoral bells, once used to help locate grazing livestock. Like virtually all Burmese utilitarian objects, they were created with mindfulness towards aesthetics. View our Bronze Bell Collection

Antique Bronze Buddha Statues

The three Buddha statues seen here are from Thailand and all are seated in the ‘earth witnessing posture’ representing the moment of the Buddha’s enlightenment when he touched the ground to bear witness to his awakening to Absolute Reality. The first two statues are in the Chiang Saen style of northern Siam while the third is in the Sukhothai style, characterized by the flame-like halo. View our Buddhist Art Collection

Antique Thai Ceramics
Antique Thai Ceramics

The antique ceramic pieces here are from Thailand – the blue glaze pieces are in La Na style (former northern kingdom) while the celadon plate is from 16th century Sukhothai, which was a major hub of ceramic production at the time.

Antique Buddhist Manuscript Box
Antique Buddhist Manuscript Box
Antique Elephant Bell, Burmese Kinnara, Monk Wood Carving
Antique Elephant Bell, Burmese Kinnara, Monk Wood Carving
Antique Buddhist Gilded Wood Carving
Antique Buddhist Gilded Wood Carving

Please click on the photos to be redirected to the listing with further details. The items featured in this blog represent just a few of the antiques from Burma and Thailand listed in our gallery so   browse our collections and if there is anything of particular interest to you please email us at info@sabaidesignsgallery.com

Opium Weights, Burmese Lacquerware, Sukhothai Ceramics, Bronze Bells

October 5th, 2009

New Items in the Gallery

 

Antique Burmese lacquer containers, opium weights dating from as early as the 15th century, celadon ceramics from 15-16th Sukhothai and antique bronze bells are among the items that we recently returned with from an overland trip to Sukhothai and Burma. Below are a few photos from the trip and of some of items that we recently listed in the gallery. Very soon we will be listing more antique bronze bells from Burma. If there are particular items from this region that visitors to the gallery are interested in that are not currently featured, please let us know and we will endeavor to find them.

opium weights
Opium Weights from Burma

Antique Bronze Bells from Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia

May 27th, 2009

Antique bronze bells have become one of the most popular items offered in our gallery. Most of our bells are from Burma, but some are from Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and India. The bells of old are generally far more beautiful than bells crafted today. They were cast in bronze and bear a range of attractive designs and often interesting inscriptions. In Burma the tradition of blacksmithing has always been an honoured occupation associated with courage, strength and integrity.

Temple bells donated to the Sangha (order of monks) are held in high esteem. They are sounded three times at the conclusion of personal devotions as an invitation to all sentient beings to share the merit accumulated by their spiritual practices. Onlookers may respond with the congratulatory refrain- thadu, thadu, thadu– well done, well done, well done. The casting of large bells is a major event which takes place with an air of great ceremony and rejoicing. Sweetness of tone is very important for the temple bell. Unlike bronze Buddha images, the bronze was normally composed of 83% copper and 17% tin. In some cases, lead or even silver was added. The smaller temple bells with clappers are often found suspended on the eves of pavilions around temples and are said to attract the attention of the deva of the Tavatimsa Heaven. The gentle tinkling ring serves as a reminder of the Buddha’s endless compassion and deep wisdom. Small temple bells are also used to signal various activities to monks and nuns including the time to rise, meditate, chant, eat and rest.

 Our pastoral bells worn by cattle or buffalo are called hka-lauk in Burmese. They are normally trapezoidal or semi-circular in shape with closed rings at the top so that the bell can be suspended around the animal’s neck with a cord.The clapper is held in place with wire entering through two small holes made in the upper surface of the bell. They are often decorated with very handsome scrolling or geometric designs on the surface. When travelling, the animals would follow the sound of the bell worn by the lead animal. The sound would also warn travellers of their presence on narrow mountain passes. The bells are also said to scare off predatory animals as well as help farmers locate their animals after being set free to graze.

The spherical elephant bells known in Burma as chu are similarly decorated and would help the mahout locate his elephant after being set free to forage in the jungle. Though popularly referred to as elephant bells, we are told by our Burmese friends that these bells were also worn by other animals including ponies and oxen.

Bronze bells often have interesting inscriptions including the seal or name of the maker, information about historical towns and their economic situation, customs of the people and the orthography of the period in which the bell was cast. For example, bells may bear the names of kings, queens or members of the aristocracy as well as high ranking military officers. The value of a bell depends on age, quality of bronze and patina, decoration and condition. Each bell has its own individual physical characteristics, ring tone, and story to tell.