Nesting Box Set thumbnail 1
Nesting Box Set thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
The Himalayas and South-East Asia, Room 47a

This object consists of 13 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Nesting Box Set

before 1867 (made)
Place of origin
Burma (made)

All the boxes are patterned in light red, green and yellow on a green on black hatch-stroke ground with their interiors finished in red lacquer
The common pattern of the six boxes is the gwin-shet (linked cellular design).
The common theme is the signs of the zodiac and days of the week.
The rim of each box and cover is encircled with a narrow border of repeating lotus flowers.
The central motif on the base of each box is set within a circular band of fine lines.


Object details

Categories
Lacquerware
Containers
India Museum
Object type
Nesting box set
Parts
This object consists of 13 parts.

  • Box
  • Cover
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Box
  • Cover
  • Tray
Materials and techniques
Fine woven bamboo covered in thitsi lacquer and engraved in the Pagan Yun technique.
Bamboo
Thitsi Lacquer
Pigment
Clay
Ash
Basketry
Coating
Lacquering
Colouring
Engraving
Brief description
Burmese nest of six cylindrical boxes and covers and one inner tray of bamboo and black yun lacquerware. Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885). Decorated in red, green and yellow with horological figures worked into the gwin-shet design. ca. before 1867.
Physical description
All the boxes are patterned in light red, green and yellow on a green on black hatch-stroke ground with their interiors finished in red lacquer
The common pattern of the six boxes is the gwin-shet (linked cellular design).
The common theme is the signs of the zodiac and days of the week.
The rim of each box and cover is encircled with a narrow border of repeating lotus flowers.
The central motif on the base of each box is set within a circular band of fine lines.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15.5cm
  • Diameter: 21.5cm
Style
Konbaung
Gallery label
  • Betel Box Set (Kun It) 1850–67 Konbaung period Betel leaves are used to wrap a mildly narcotic mix of areca nut, lime and spices. Like many betel sets, this nest of six boxes is made of woven bamboo with a lacquer coating. It is decorated with a uniquely Burmese style of lacquer decoration called yùn, in which the design is engraved and then filled with colouring matter. Woven bamboo covered in lacquer and engraved Burma Acquired by the India Office Museum in 1867 Museum no. 01330(IS)(14/06/2011)
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. 1880 Register Entry: [Room 8. Case 36- continued.] '01,330. BOXES and covers, six, and one tray. Circular, painted ornament, bamboo and lacquer; Burmah. 6,717'
Production
Attribution note: The intended use for this nest of boxes has still to be identified. Sylvia Fraser-Lu in her "Burmese Crafts"; 1994 mentions only nests of bowls made for the European market. p. 230.
Bibliographic reference
Burmese art / John Lowry. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1974 Number: 0112901794 : cat. no. 37
Other number
6717 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
01330:1/(IS)

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Record createdOctober 4, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O48717/nesting-box-set/
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