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Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Size: Height 7 cm, circumference at top 45 cm
Order Number: L1
Background: Lacquer is made from the sap of a tree. It is tapped like
rubber. The grey, viscous liquid turns black on exposure to the air.
The objects, which are covered in lacquer, are usually
of wood or bamboo, which can be made extremely flexible by interweaving
horsehair.
Numerous coatings of lacquer are applied. After each
application the object is left to dry. The process may take 6 months
or longer. A fine piece may have 26 applications. Lacquer furniture
can take 2 years to make.
In pre-colonial times lacquered boxes stored royal
jewels, letters and Buddhist manusccripts. Lacquered trays are still
used to give food to the monks.
Ordinary people use lacquer containers for food, clothing,
cosmetics and flowers, in preference to the increasingly common metal
and plastic.
Oval Plates
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Sizes:
Length 35 cm, width 26.5 cm
Length 31 cm, width 23 cm
Length 26 cm, width 19.5 cm
Length 23.5 cm, width 17 cm
Length 21 cm, width 16 cm
Order Number: L2
Background: Lacquer, which is naturally black, may be colored, by adding
finely ground pigments, such as red cinnabar. Other colors are yellow,
blue and green. The art is a closely guarded secret and a husband will
probably not even tell his wife how it's done.
Price is given for set of four.
Oblong Plates
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Sizes:
Large: Length 30.5 cm, width 31 cm
Medium: Length 27.5 cm, width 27.5 cm
Small: Length 25 cm, width 25 cm
Order Number: L3
Price is given for set of three.
Box
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Size: Height 12 cm, width 10 cm
Order Number: L4
Betel Box
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Size: Height 7 cm, circumference at top 45 cm
Order Number: L5
Background: The most traditional lacquer receptacle is the betel box.
It is made of woven bamboo and inside are shallow trays to hold items
for making the betel chew. The chew is prepared by taking a betel leaf,
smearing it with slaked lime and wrapping it around thin slices of areca
nut from the areca palm tree.
Other ingredients may be added: tobacco, dried orange
peel, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and liqorice. Chewing betel
has a refreshing, slightly stimulating effect. The items are placed
between the cheek and teeth and slowly savoured.
Betel nut was used by men and women of all social
standings. Today it tends to be enjoyed mainly by older people.
It stimulates copious saliva, reduces the appetite
and increases thirst. Saliva turns bright red, as do the mouth, lips
and teeth. Eventually teeth turn black and fall out.
Letter Tube
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Size: Length 39 cm, circumference 16 cm
Order Number: L6
Background: Cylindrical letter tubes were used to hold letters to and
from senior monks or officials and documents such as university degrees.
Offering Vessel
Material: Bamboo, lacquer
Style: Pagan
Size: Height 30 cm, circumference at the widest point 95 cm
Order Number: L7
Background: This uniquely Burmese, beautifully striking vessel, is used
to present food to the monastery. The wide bowl is supported on small
legs.
The tapering lid is assembled from a series of circular,
shallow trays that fit snugly one on top of the other. They are used
as plates or trays to serve the food within.
The inverted bowl, crowning the vessel and ressembling
a stupa, can be used as a ladle or drinking cup. Rice, fruit or boiled
eggs are placed at the bottom of the bowl and the fitted trays above
hold curry, condiments, betel and cheroots.
The vessel may be carried in the arms. More often,
though, women carry them on their heads.
