Asian Antiques from Laos: Opium Pipes, Tribal Silver Jewellery, Bronze Temple Bells & Opium Weights

March 5th, 2014

On our most recent trip to Laos in search of antiques and artifacts for the gallery it soon became apparent how few genuine antique pieces were available compared to previous visits. However with a determined effort we managed to find some special items from the 19th and early 20th century which we are highlighting here. Also included are a few photos from the wonderful Wat Si Saket and Haw Pha Kaew Museum, King Setthathirat’s former royal temple. Just click on the images below to be taken to the relevant page for each category.

These are the two finest antique opium pipes that we have had in the gallery to date. Genuine antique opium pipes are exceedingly rare now, having become a highly sort after international collectible. These two pipes were used by the Hmong hill tribe people and are of Chinese origin, being much more refined than most hill tribe opium pipes.

Antique Opium Pipes from Laos
Antique Opium Pipes from Laos

Below is a small collection of antique hill tribe silver jewellery, much of it from the Lao Hmong, and includes soul lock pendants, bracelets, and torques.  These are wearable pieces from the late 19th – early 20th century with a silver content of about 92%. They have been given a light clean but can be brought to a high shine if desired. The Hmong are famous in Southeast Asia for their penchant for silver and the skills of their silversmiths.

Antique Tribal Silver Bracelets from Laos
Antique Tribal Silver Bracelets from Laos
Antique Tribal Silver Torques from the Hmong
Antique Tribal Silver Torques from the Hmong
Antique Soul Lock Pendants from the Hmong
Antique Soul Lock Pendants from the Hmong

This collection of antique bronze bells is from Vientiane where they once hung from the eves of temple buildings before being replaced by newly donated bells. They have developed a lovely aged patina and possess distinct ring tones, which at the temple are heard as a reminder of the Buddha’s deep wisdom and endless compassion.

Antique Bronze Temple Bells from Laos
Antique Bronze Temple Bells from Laos

We returned from Laos with just these two charming opium weights. They are from Phongsali in the northern mountains and were used by the Hmong to weigh out opium in the 19th century. While Siamese and Laotian opium weights are said to be less accurate than Burmese weights, these two are beautifully cast. The deer is a particularly rare form.

Opium Weights from Laos

We hope that you enjoy these rare Laotian artifacts from a bygone era. Please let us know if there are any pieces that are of particular interest. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about these pieces. We will also soon be listing a few exceptional examples of silk weaving from a studio in Vientiane along with a few antique tribal textiles.

Haw Pha Kaew Museum, Laos
Haw Pha Kaew Museum, Laos
Wat Si Saket, Laos
Wat Si Saket, Laos
Haw Pha Kaew, Laos
Haw Pha Kaew, Laos

Asian Antiques from Laos

October 12th, 2012

Asian antiques from Laos are amongst the most interesting artifacts to be found in SE Asia. With its diverse ethnicity, Laos has a rich tradition of fashioning objects of beauty, many with utilitarian value. The people of Laos enjoy a simple, slow paced lifestyle, and are known for their friendly nature. We always enjoy our trips there and have made some good friends over time, especially ‘Mrs Vong’, an antique dealer who is one of the sweetest and quirkiest people we’ve met in our travels. Here I will feature a few of the antiques that we returned with from our most recent trip there as well as a few silk textiles that, while not antique, embody an art form that draws on techniques and symbolism that are over a thousand years old.

Antique Asian Sword Dha from Laos

This antique sword is commonly referred to as a dha, or daab and is one of the more ornate forms of this style of sword seen. The dha is common to Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma and is thought to date back to as far as the 16th century. It has served for centuries as a key weapon in disputes between neighboring SE Asian countries and is to light handle, and very effective.  We were told that this particular dha was not used as a military weapon but would most likely have been owned by a wealthy Laotian for personal use, indicated by the detailed bronze work found on the handle and scabbard. More commonly, the two bamboo pieces that form the scabbard were bound using rattan and sometimes resin. Read more about this dha

Elephant Opium Weights Laos
Elephant Opium Weights Laos

Elephant shaped opium weights are common to both Laos and Siam and are thought to have been in use from around the late 16th century. The elephant weights featured here are most likely from the 1800s and were popular amongst the Hmong minority hill tribe people to weigh opium. In contrast, animal weights from Burma which were in common use since the 14th century were used to weight a variety of materials including silver, gold, medicines and spices. We have seen genuine elephant weights in three sizes as featured here. Another les common variation is a mother elephant with baby, also available in the gallery.  Read more about elephant opium weights

Antique Opium Pipes
Antique Opium Pipes

We’ve been looking for genuine antique opium pipes for some time now and were fortunate to find two excellent examples made by the Hmong on our last trip to Laos. The Hmong were the first hill tribe to successfully cultivate opium poppies in the region, most notably in the area known as the Golden Triangle that encompasses Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Burma. Both pipes are from the late 19th century and each is unique – one with a deer horn mouthpiece and the other with a decorated bronze smoking bowl and bone mouthpiece. The other pipe featured is a very handsome tobacco pipe that we couldn’t resist and is decorated with ornate silver bindings, a ceramic bowl and bone mouthpiece.  View our Antique Pipe Collection

Antique Hmong Silver Jewelry
Antique Hmong Silver Jewelry

The Hmong hill tribe people are famous for their love of silver jewelry and in the past fashioned beautiful, often flamboyant adornments by melting down French silver coins. Hmong silversmiths are recognized for their considerable skills and creative designs.  Hmong women often wear several large pieces of jewelry including silver torques, bracelets, pendants and hairpins. Featured here are an antique silver torque, soul lock pendant, and hairpin from the Hmong of Laos.  View our Antique Tribal Silver Jewelry Collection

Silk Wall Hangings from Laos
Silk Wall Hangings from Laos

With a population of just 6.5 million people, Laos is a small country with few exports. One of the most beautiful artistic traditions of Laos is their silk weaving, a tradition that has been handed down from mother to daughter for countless generations. It’s difficult to appreciate from photos alone the beauty of these woven works of art as it is the incredible skill, time and concentration that goes into weaving them. A complicated piece such as the first wall hanging featured here took over a month to complete. Woven into the textiles are deeply symbolic ancient motifs that are an integral part of Laotian culture. 

Please email us info@sabaidesignsgallery.com if you have any questions about any of the items featured here.