Antique Burmese Lacquer School Case

Dimensions: 28cm wide, 18 cm high, 6.5cm deep.
Code: WOOD 0722

This gorgeous Burmese lacquerware school-case was handmade by specialist artisans in Myanmar (formerly Burma) in the late 19th century/early 20th century and today is a scarce and highly sought after object. The case has been delicately hand painted and is decorated with a bird motif on both sides and is edged by yellow and red lines. The owner’s initials AN.KR have been added to the case. The case is in wonderful condition consistent with age, the latch works, and the paint work is vibrant and complete. There is a small crack on one side, but it does not detract from the beauty of the piece.

Yun-de, or lacquerware, is an ancient craft of Myanmar (formerly Burma). It was made using an elaborate and technically complex process by master craftsmen starting with gathering the sap from the varnish tree or thitsee that grows wild in the local forests. The finished objects are all handmade and the designs are engraved free hand. It may take three to four months to finish a small vessel but sometimes over a year for a larger piece. The lacquerware came to India through the Chettiar trading community who took up residence in Burma during the 19th and 20th centuries. The traders kept their links with their home region of Chettinad in Tamil Nadu, South India and often went back for family events and festivals. Their ancestral homes were filled with lacquer vessels from Burma. In Burma, the lacquerware was used by royalty, monks and commoners, indeed it was ubiquitous. Over time porcelain, plastic and metal have superseded lacquerware and very few of the workshops remain. The antique pieces are in high demand from collectors across the world.