Antique Burmese Hsun-Ok Ceremonial Offering Vessel | Yun Lacquerware | Late 19th / Early 20th Century

Details

Description

A striking and collectible example of antique Burmese lacquerware, this ceremonial offering vessel — known as a Hsun-Ok — dates … Read more A striking and collectible example of antique Burmese lacquerware, this ceremonial offering vessel — known as a Hsun-Ok — dates to the late 19th or early 20th century and originates from the Pagan region of Burma (Myanmar).

Hsun-Ok vessels were crafted to carry food offerings to Buddhist monks and monasteries, making them both functional objects and deeply spiritual ones. This example retains all of its original components: a wide pedestal base, globular body, domed tiered lid with intact stupa finial bears only a small chip at the tip, and a separate interior tray — a completeness that is increasingly rare to find.

The decoration is executed in the yun technique, in which intricate designs are hand-incised into the vermillion red lacquer surface, then black lacquer is worked into the engraved lines and wiped away, leaving the imagery in crisp relief. The primary decorative band features mythological animals and deer amid dense floral scrollwork — motifs associated with Burmese cosmology and the zodiac. Secondary bands display repeating geometric and foliate borders. The interior is finished in traditional glossy black lacquer.

Construction is classic to the period: a coiled bamboo core built up with multiple layers of lacquer, resulting in a piece that is both lightweight and remarkably durable.

Wear is consistent with age and authentic use, lending the piece the rich patina only time can produce. See less