Antique Burmese Hintha Bird-Shaped Betel Gold Lacquered Box on Offering Stand - 3 Pieces

Details

Description

Museum quality lacquered and gilded wood and ferrous metal and wood with mirrored glass inlay. Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma). Approx. 1890-1920
… Read more Museum quality lacquered and gilded wood and ferrous metal and wood with mirrored glass inlay. Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma). Approx. 1890-1920
Set includes a stand, bird vessel with lid and base. Bird sits well in stand, but not completely level.

Dimensions
Total height
19.5” H x 12” W x 10” D

Stand
8.5” H x 10” dia
Foot - 5.4@ dia

Bird
9.65” H x 7.5” D 10” W

Provenance: gift from the Denver Art Museum. Note included states:
“We we were told by a young Cambodian man who visited our gallery that he had seen something like this ceremonial piece in his homeland. The bird is the Garuda, the mythical bird of Hinduism. Beautiful and dramatic, this sculptural pedestal with the Garuda bird perched on top commands attention..”

MORE INFORMATION
A variety of elaborately decorated vessels, containers, and stands were made for presenting offerings in Buddhist monasteries. Ornate betel-nut containers used at ceremonies when young men entered monasteries as novices symbolized the luxuries that the Buddha-to-be, Prince Siddhartha, willingly gave up when he embarked on his spiritual career, luxuries that candidates for the novitiate gave up when they followed his example. See less