Violin thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Violin

ca. 1862 (made)
Place of origin

A type of violin with a fiddle shaped sound box and a fan-tailed peacock at the end of a long narrow finger board. Gilded red with red, blue and green decorative scheme on top of the sound box. 3 remaining strings attached to 3 tuning screws.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Hollowed wood, thitsi lacquered gilded and painted.
Brief description
Burmese bowed stringed instrument.Wood red lacquered and gilded. Konbaung Dyansty (1752-1885). Decorated with a gilded peacock and a blue and green central design. ca. 1862.
Physical description
A type of violin with a fiddle shaped sound box and a fan-tailed peacock at the end of a long narrow finger board. Gilded red with red, blue and green decorative scheme on top of the sound box. 3 remaining strings attached to 3 tuning screws.
Dimensions
  • Length: 50.5cm
  • At widest part width: 12cm
Style
Object history
Historical significance: Traditionally used in chamber music ensembles with the saung gauk (harp), mi-gyaung (crocodile zither) & patala (xylophone).

The peacock was the emblem of the Konbaung Dynasty its use as a decoration would have been reserved for the royal family.
The local name listed in the India Museum 1880 Slip Book for this musical instrument is a "ta-yaw".
Other number
7290 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
02128(IS)

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Record createdApril 9, 2001
Record URL
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