Minister's Court Costume
3rd quarter 19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
These garments, which belonged to the Kin-Wun-Mingyi or chief minister, who served both King Mindon (r.1852-1878) and King Thibaw (r.1878-1885) at the Court of Mandalay. The state robe is of crimson velvet, heavily decorated with gold, under which he wore a red wrap skirt called a pah-soe, embroidered with yellow floss silk and a high hat with applied gilt-foil ornaments. The degree of ornamentation would have immediately indicated the minister's rank. On less formal occasions the pah-soe would have been worn with the long white muslin jacket called a ein-gyi and matching headband or gaung-baung.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 5 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Velvet, plain-weave cotton, spangles |
| Brief description | Items of dress of a Burmese minister. Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885). Consisting of a court costume of red velvet and gold and a white muslin jacket and headband. ca. 1850 to 1885. |
| Physical description | Minister's court costume of red velvet and gold spangles, and a white muslin jacket and headband. |
| Style | |
| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Purchased from L. M. Parlett, Esq., Inglewood, Bath Road, Reading |
| Object history | This civil court costume was specially created for the Kin Wun Mingyi (Chief Minister) who served both King Mindon (r.1853-78) and King Thibaw (r.1878-1885). Mr. Parlett was a Divisional Judge in Lower Burma during the first quarter of the 20th century. |
| Production | Purchased by the donor while serving as a Divisional Judge in Burma at the beginning of the 20th century. Formerly on loan to the Indian Museum from 1907 until its purchase in 1911. Attribution note: Style, decoration and technique refer to 19th century Konbaung Dynasty. |
| Summary | These garments, which belonged to the Kin-Wun-Mingyi or chief minister, who served both King Mindon (r.1852-1878) and King Thibaw (r.1878-1885) at the Court of Mandalay. The state robe is of crimson velvet, heavily decorated with gold, under which he wore a red wrap skirt called a pah-soe, embroidered with yellow floss silk and a high hat with applied gilt-foil ornaments. The degree of ornamentation would have immediately indicated the minister's rank. On less formal occasions the pah-soe would have been worn with the long white muslin jacket called a ein-gyi and matching headband or gaung-baung. |
| Bibliographic reference | Franklin and Swallow. Identifying with the Gods
Hali Annual Edition 1994: p.59, ill. 11 & 15.
Sylvia Fraser-lu "Burmese Crafts - Past and Present" OUP 1994; pp. 263-4 Figs. 250 & 251.
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IM.43 to D-1912 |
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| Record created | September 28, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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