Mid-20th Century Burmese Shwe Zawa Gold Leaf Lacquer Betel Box With Inner Tray

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This Burmese lacquerware betel box is hand decorated in the Shwe Zawa technique of gold leaf laid over black lacquer … Read more This Burmese lacquerware betel box is hand decorated in the Shwe Zawa technique of gold leaf laid over black lacquer and retains its fitted removable inner tray. The lid centers on a gold leaf Chinthe, the guardian lion of Burmese tradition, within a scalloped cartouche surrounded by coiled scrolling foliage and fine concentric gilt bands, and cartouches around the sides feature the Chinthe and the Hintha, the mythical golden bird of Burmese tradition. The interior and tray are finished in glossy black lacquer. This piece comes from the estate of a US Foreign Service officer who served at American embassies across Asia, Latin America, Aftica, and Europe from 1956 to the early 1980s, and was acquired in the late 1950s to early 1960s and kept in storage since. A signed provenance statement accompanies the purchase, and documentation of the officer’s service is available on request. It measures 6.25 inches in diameter and 4 inches high. See less