Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
The Himalayas and South-East Asia, Room 47a

Vase

ca. 1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Burma (made)

This small pot is lavishly decorated with rubies set within grooves in its gold surface. Acquired in 1855 this and the box, 02751(IS) and comb, 2-1902 probably came from the former kingdom of Ava (near Mandalay). Of the highest workmanship the group were almost certainly once owned either by the royal family or by prominant members of the nobility.


Object details

Category
India Museum
Object type
Vase
Materials and techniques
Gold closely set with rubies
Gold
Rubies
Inlay
Brief description
Burmese small gold globular vase set with rubies. Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885) ca.1850
Physical description
A small globular vase with a flaring rim. The body is decorated with a grooved spiraling pattern closely set with rubies. Closely set rubies also encircle the rim, neck and base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 4.5cm
  • At the widest point diameter: 6cm (Note: The width and depth are equal to the diameter )
Style
Konbaung Period
Production typeUnique
Gallery label
  • Box and Pot 1800–55 Konbaung period The quality of this box and pot suggests that they were made for royalty or a high ranking member of the court at one of the former capital cities. The sides of the box are decorated with a wave (acheik) pattern. Its top bears the protective ‘nine planet’ (narawat) design formed by eight diamonds around a large ruby. Box: gold, diamonds, emeralds and rubies Pot: gold and rubies Burma (probably Amarapura or Ava, now Inwa) Acquired by the East India Company Museum in 1855 Museum nos. 02751&a (IS), 02750 (IS)(14/06/2011)
Object history
Possibly part of Exposition Universelle de Paris, 1855

Historical significance: The sumptuousness of this article suggests that it may have originally belonged to a member of the Burmese royal family or to a high official of the court of Ava.
Summary
This small pot is lavishly decorated with rubies set within grooves in its gold surface. Acquired in 1855 this and the box, 02751(IS) and comb, 2-1902 probably came from the former kingdom of Ava (near Mandalay). Of the highest workmanship the group were almost certainly once owned either by the royal family or by prominant members of the nobility.
Bibliographic references
  • Lowry, John. Burmese Art: Victoria and Albert Museum London Her Majesty's Stationery Office,1974.30p.,ill
  • Burma to Myanmar pp. 22-23 and fig. 1.2
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
02750(IS)

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Record createdMarch 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O10608/vase-unknown/
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