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

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
  • Diameter: 14cm
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 createdSeptember 1, 2008
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