Material: Bronze
Style: Ban Chiang, Thailand
Size: Height 3 cm, Width 2 cm
Order Number: MHSABCF1

Ban Chiang in northeast Thailand was discovered in 1966 and is the most important prehistoric settlement discovered in Southeast Asia. The site was abandoned, perhaps because of climate change, and buried underground for at least 2,000 years. The site was again occupied in the late 18th century by farmers migrating across the nearby Mekong River.

The initial settlement of Ban Chiang took place about 1500 BC with the transition to the Bronze Age about 1000 BC. The site was continuously occupied from 1500 BC until about 900 BC. There were many burials, rich in ceramic and metal grave goods. 

It contains early evidence of settled agrarian occupation in Southeast Asia, wet rice agriculture, domesticated chickens, cattle, and pigs, and pottery.

The site has exceptional and uniquely early evidence of the knowledge of bronze-making with remains of raw materials, production facilities, and bronze tools and ornaments.

The earliest grave was about 2100 BC and the latest was about 200 AD. Bronze making began around 2000 BC. Bronze objects include spearheads, axes, adzes, hooks, blades, bracelets, rings, anklets, wires, rods, and little bells.

The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992.

Map of Ban Chiang.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Ban Chiang Figures appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Burma
Size: Height 11cm, Diameter 7 cm
Order Number: MHSABB1

This cast bronze bell has a magnificent patina. People presented bronze bells to a temple, pagoda or monastery as means of getting merit – it was second only to presenting a Buddha image.

Bells like this  were cast using the lost wax method (cire perdue) . Rituals were performed to ensure proper blessings. Usually the bells were cast from an alloy mainly of copper with some tin and occasionally a small amount of lead.

The bell has a clapper. There are several rows of engraved concentric circles. The bell is in excellent condition.

19th century or earlier.

There is one of similar shape (though that is silver) in Burmese Crafts Past and Present, Sylvia Fraser-Lu, Oxford University Press, 1994, page 134.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Bell appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Burma
Size: Height 13 cm, Width 13.5 cm, Diameter 9.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABBBB1

The Burmese traditionally excelled at bronze and brass casting. They made boxes, religious images, bells, musical instruments and household items.

Blacksmithing has traditionally been an honoured occupation associated with courage, strength and integrity.

This box is hinged. It may have been used for storage of valuables but most probably it served as a betel box.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Bronze Box 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Burma
Size: Height 13 cm, Width 21 cm, Diameter 12 cm
Order Number: MHSABBB2

The Burmese traditionally excelled at bronze and brass casting. They made boxes, religious images, bells, musical instruments and household items.

Blacksmithing has traditionally been an honoured occupation associated with courage, strength and integrity.

This box is hinged. It may have been used for storage of valuables but most probably it served as a betel box.

Early – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Bronze Box 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Burma or Laos
Size: Height 4.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABOW1

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

They were cast in Laos too and the elephant became the motif of Laotian standard weights. Laos was once called ‘country of millions of elephants.’

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, monkey, chicken, horse, bull, chicken, tortoise, rat, spider and fish are extremely rare.

There are examples of elephant weights in Opium Weights, Rolf and Ilse Braun, 1983 at pages 77 – 93.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Opium Weight 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Burma or Laos
Size: Height 3 cm
Order Number: MHSABOW2

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

They were cast in Laos too and the elephant became the motif of Laotian standard weights. Laos was once called ‘country of millions of elephants.’

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, monkey, chicken, horse, bull, chicken, tortoise, rat, spider and fish are extremely rare.

There are examples of elephant weights in Opium Weights, Rolf and Ilse Braun, 1983 at pages 77 – 93.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Opium Weight 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Diameter 8.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACB1

Bronze is made by adding tin to copper. The technique reached Western Europe by about 2800 BCE, Egypt by about 2200 BCE,  North China by about 2200 BCE, China’s Yunnan province by about 1400 BCE, Thailand by about 1100 BCE, and southern India by about 1000 BC (possibly a century or two earlier).

Nobody knows if the technique spread from a single place in the Middle East or was independently invented in different locations.

In the case of Cambodia (and Thailand) the choices are that it was independently developed in the country, or that it was brought from China (or it could been have the reverse and brought from northeast Thailand to China), or that it was imported from Bengal.

This bracelet was skillfully and elegantly designed by the ancient Khmer culture between the 8th and 13th century AD. Raised decoration. Enriched with a nice ancient patina.

Map of Cambodia.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Bracelet 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Diameter 8 cm
Order Number: MHSACB2

Bronze is made by adding tin to copper. The technique reached Western Europe by about 2800 BCE, Egypt by about 2200 BCE,  North China by about 2200 BCE, China’s Yunnan province by about 1400 BCE, Thailand by about 1100 BCE, and southern India by about 1000 BC (possibly a century or two earlier).

Nobody knows if the technique spread from a single place in the Middle East or was independently invented in different locations.

In the case of Cambodia (and Thailand) the choices are that it was independently developed in the country, or that it was brought from China (or it could been have the reverse and brought from northeast Thailand to China), or that it was imported from Bengal.

This bracelet was skillfully and elegantly designed by the ancient Khmer culture between the 8th and 13th century AD. Raised decoration. Enriched with a nice ancient patina.

Map of Cambodia.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Bracelet 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Diameter 8.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACB3

Bronze is made by adding tin to copper. The technique reached Western Europe by about 2800 BCE, Egypt by about 2200 BCE,  North China by about 2200 BCE, China’s Yunnan province by about 1400 BCE, Thailand by about 1100 BCE, and southern India by about 1000 BC (possibly a century or two earlier).

Nobody knows if the technique spread from a single place in the Middle East or was independently invented in different locations.

In the case of Cambodia (and Thailand) the choices are that it was independently developed in the country, or that it was brought from China (or it could been have the reverse and brought from northeast Thailand to China), or that it was imported from Bengal.

This bracelet was skillfully and elegantly designed by the ancient Khmer culture between the 8th and 13th century AD. Raised decoration. Enriched with a nice ancient patina.

Map of Cambodia.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Bracelet 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Diameter 8.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACB4

Bronze is made by adding tin to copper. The technique reached Western Europe by about 2800 BCE, Egypt by about 2200 BCE,  North China by about 2200 BCE, China’s Yunnan province by about 1400 BCE, Thailand by about 1100 BCE, and southern India by about 1000 BC (possibly a century or two earlier).

Nobody knows if the technique spread from a single place in the Middle East or was independently invented in different locations.

In the case of Cambodia (and Thailand) the choices are that it was independently developed in the country, or that it was brought from China (or it could been have the reverse and brought from northeast Thailand to China), or that it was imported from Bengal.

This bracelet was skillfully and elegantly designed by the ancient Khmer culture between the 8th and 13th century AD. Raised decoration. Enriched with a nice ancient patina.

Map of Cambodia.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Bracelet 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Diameter 8.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACB5

Bronze is made by adding tin to copper. The technique reached Western Europe by about 2800 BCE, Egypt by about 2200 BCE,  North China by about 2200 BCE, China’s Yunnan province by about 1400 BCE, Thailand by about 1100 BCE, and southern India by about 1000 BC (possibly a century or two earlier).

Nobody knows if the technique spread from a single place in the Middle East or was independently invented in different locations.

In the case of Cambodia (and Thailand) the choices are that it was independently developed in the country, or that it was brought from China (or it could been have the reverse and brought from northeast Thailand to China), or that it was imported from Bengal.

This bracelet was skillfully and elegantly designed. One side is decorated with a swastika pattern and the other side is smooth.

The swastika is an equilateral cross with arms bent at right angles, all in the same  direction, usually clockwise. The swastika is a symbol of prosperity and good fortune throughout the ancient and modern world. The word is derived from the Sanskrit svastika, meaning ‘conducive to well-being’.  It is the most widely used auspicious symbol of Hindus and Buddhists. 

17th or 18th century AD.

Map of Cambodia.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Bracelet 5 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 4.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW1

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Opium Weight 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 4.25 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW2

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Opium Weight 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 4 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW3

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Opium Weight 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 4 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW4

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Opium Weight 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 3 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW5

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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Material: Bronze
Style: Cambodia
Size: Height 3 cm
Order Number: MHSACOW6

They are called ‘opium weights’ but this is not strictly correct. They were used in Burmese, Thai and Cambodian markets in the 16th-19th centuries to weigh food and everyday goods, as well as gold, silver and pearls. It is not known when they first came into existence.

The British associated these countries with opium, but is a myth that they were used to weigh opium. Goods were measured  using two baskets or trays hanging from a beam. The weight was put in one basket and the goods were placed in the other basket.

Visitors to the court of Pegu in the 16th century mentioned that silver was weighed with ‘curious animal’ weights.  In 1855 an emissary of Queen Victoria called Yule illustrated one in his book, A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava.

Boldly modelled opium weights were cast by the lost wax (cire perdue) method. They have two parts, an animal or bird and a base, which is about the same weight. The base may be hexagonal, rectangular, octagonal or circular. The bases are small platforms on which the animal or bird stands. In the 19th century they became steeper and feathers, manes and tails became more flamboyant. The larger ones may have had a separate mould. Many are incised with horizontal lines. Some are worn down through use.

Bronze was used, an alloy of copper, tin and zinc. 16th and 17th century weights are reddish because of a higher proportion of copper being used in the alloy. In the late 17th and 18th centuries they used more tin (10 to 40%),  giving a slightly silvery-whitish colour. Late 18th and 19th centuries have a light yellowish colour. Late 19th and 20th century ones of brass have a deep yellowish colour. Bronze weights stopped being made shortly after the British defeated Burma in 1885. They were gradually replaced by round iron weights.

The units of measurement do not correspond to western scales of measurement, but there is a proportional relationship between the various sizes in a series. They came in a set of ten. They were checked and legalised by a stamp or seal (usually difficult to read through use) given by the king or his officials in each town.

Designs are birds or quadrupeds. The larger ones were usually made with greater attention to detail, but the larger and medium weights are more common than the smaller sizes.

The most common is a hintha bird or Brahmani duck, also called a hamsa. It was the emblem of the Mon kingdom, which once ruled Lower Burma. A duck’s beak and feet and a flamboyant, crested comb, with 3 to 4 layers of ruffles down the back of the neck is common. The beak is often holding foliage, worm or a pearl. The eye is usually outlined. The head is crowned by a two or three-point curling crest. The bird usually has a round, protruding breast and wings close to the body are often decorated with curved lines to indicate the main feathers. The wings and tail usually curl gracefully upwards. The tail may be short and stumpy. Back and tail feathers may have parallel curved lines. The feet may not be visible and the bird appears to be sitting on the base. Metal under the tail may add support. Head and feathers may be emphasised by incising.

Another popular animal is the to-aung, with the face of a lion and body of a bull, horns and the hooves and tail of a horse. It is often wrongly referred to as the chinthe or Burmese lion. The to-aung is a fabulous animal which inhabits the Himalayan forest. The earliest ones found date to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Other animals such as the elephant, chicken, horse, tortoise, spider and fish are extremely rare.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Cambodian Opium Weight 6 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Bronze
Style: China
Size:  Diameter 7.5 cm
Order Number: MHSACBM1

As early as 2000 BC  bronze technology was highly developed in China. Objects made from this alloy of copper, tin, and lead were luxury items for the aristocratic classes. Among these were small bronze mirrors, usually cast from clay molds.

Bronze mirrors were made until the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1912), when western glass mirrors were brought to China. Bronze mirrors were usually round, with one side polished bright to give a reflection, and the other side with designs.

Chinese bronze mirrors date back at least the 11th century BC. They were given as gifts to and by emperors and also ordinary people. They were handed down from generation to generation.

Mirrors were associated with the supernatural. By the later part of the Chou dynasty (500 BC) mirrors were buried with the deceased to dispel evil spirits.

Mirrors tended to be round in Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). By the late Tang period (907 AD) mirrors were highly prized objects. They brought good luck. Different shapes, such as oblong and octagonal, were introduced in the Song and Yuan dynasties (10th -14th century). Some have a handle or eyelets for hanging. 

Bronze mirrors were used in the Buddhist and Taoist rituals.

The most noticeable characteristic is a knob in the centre on the back, with a hole in it, through which is passed a silk cord, varying in colour, length and pattern according to the class of the owner, intending to serve as a handle. The early Han dynasty knobs are semi-spherical, large and plain.

The mirror was polished so that it reflected the user’s face. Round is the ideal shape in Chinese cosmological theory. Round mirrors represented the heavens and were considered the most desirable. The back was often decorated with a button and various motifs such as phoenix, beasts, flowers, and leaves. Some had inscriptions. These inscriptions were often auspicious phrases, bearing good wishes for the owners.

Most bronze mirrors are round, which symbolises perfection and bliss. Round shapes in Ancient China also represented reunion, satisfactory love and marriage and fortune. They kept the home free from criminals, bad luck and  evil.

With a patina. Believed to be Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220).

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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Material: Copper, brass
Style: Chinese
Size: Height 21 cm, Width 18 cm, Diameter 10 cm
Order Number: MHSACT1

I got this in Sumatra. It probably belonged to a prosperous Chinese family.

The lid is a lotus bud with a band of lotus petals draping down from the top. The body, neck and gooseneck spout are all engraved. A naga appears to be disgorging the spout. The naga is the protector of springs, wells and rivers, hence bringing rain, and thus fertility.

On the side of the body are the mystical qilin. Qilin is pronounced ‘cheelin’. The qilin is sometimes called a unicorn in Chinese literature. It has a dragon’s head with one to three fleshy horns tipped with hair, a scaly body shaped like a deer, horse’s hooves, and a lion’s mane and tail. Qilin ate grass, never meat, moved regally and had a musical voice.

Qilin are one of the Four Mythical Creatures, along with the dragon, tortoise and phoenix, which together bring order to the universe. Qilin rule the west, facilitate autumn, time of maturity and fulfillment. Dragons reign over the east, influence spring by determining rainfall levels, The tortoise controls the north, initiates harsh winters and is a symbol of longevity, The phoenix controls the south and summer, represents happiness and warmth and appears only during times of peace.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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Material: Bronze
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Height 19 cm, Width 24 cm, Depth 14 cm
Order Number: MHSAHWC1

From our book Secrets of Bali:

Balinese Hinduism is called the ‘Holy Water Religion’, Agama Tirta, which indicates the centrality of holy water in the religion. It is used in every ceremony, in every ritual, and poured over every offering, every sacrifice, every building, every rice field and every person. This sacred substance cleanses, blesses and purifies. It gets rid of evil and protects. At the end of prayers, the priest pours holy water over the person’s head. There are many varieties.

This type of teapot or kettle was not used  for tea or coffee but to store holy water. It could have been used by a high priest (pedanda) to wash his hands and feet before starting a ceremony.

The spout is a cobra, naga, the protector of springs, wells and rivers, hence bringing rain, and thus fertility.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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