Bowl
mid-late 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The body of this niello bowl is decorated with celestial dancers set amidst flowering foliage. Niello is created by removing the surface surrounding the main design and filling it with an alloy of silver and lead. When heated this turns black, so highlighting the featured design. Here parts of the leaf pattern and figures have also been further enriched with gilding.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Silver, silver alloy, silver gilt (niello) |
Brief description | Domestic, silver, silver alloy, silver gilt niello, Bangkok, Thailand, mid-late 19th century |
Physical description | The body of this niello bowl is decorated with celestial dancers set amidst flowering foliage. Niello is created by removing the surface surrounding the main design and filling it with an alloy of silver and lead. When heated this turns black, so highlighting the featured design. Here parts of the leaf pattern and figures have also been further enriched with gilding. |
Dimensions |
|
Gallery label | BOWL
Silver, silver-gilt
Bangkok
Mid to late 19th century
IS.60-1958
The body of this bowl is decorated with celestial dancers set amidst flowering foliage.
Small bowls such as this were used for hand washing by the wealthier classes of Thai society.
(1/10/2008) |
Credit line | Given by Sir Richard O. Winstedt, KBE, CMG |
Object history | Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt (1878-1966), colonial administrator and Malay scholar, educated at Magdalen College School and at New College, Oxford. After retired from Malayan Civil Service in 1935 he was appointed lecturer and then reader in Malay at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. He started as a Cadet in the Federated Malay States civil service in 1902 and was posted to Perak where he studied Malay language and culture. He spent 10 years in Perak and wrote four books in a government-published series called “Papers on Malay Subjects”. In 1909 he wrote about Malay Industries: Arts and Crafts with a chapter on Malay gold and silver. It was during his time in Perak that he met fellow colleague, R.J. Wilkinson, a distinguished Malay scholar, also a collector of Malay silverware. In 1912, due to ill health he took home leave and returned back to London. On 11 June 1912 Winstedt lent his collection of 68 examples of Malay silversmiths’ work and weapons that he collected in Perak in 1902-12, for exhibition at the V&A for a period of 12 months. The loan had then been extended and finally Winstedt offered his whole collection to the Museum as gifts in 1958 (museum numbers, IS.28 to 81-1958). |
Summary | The body of this niello bowl is decorated with celestial dancers set amidst flowering foliage. Niello is created by removing the surface surrounding the main design and filling it with an alloy of silver and lead. When heated this turns black, so highlighting the featured design. Here parts of the leaf pattern and figures have also been further enriched with gilding. |
Collection | |
Accession number | IS.60-1958 |
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Record created | September 1, 2008 |
Record URL |
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