Antique Burmese Lacquerware Water Bowl

Dimensions: 10.5cm diameter, 7cm high.
Code: WOOD 5621

This red Burmese lacquerware water bowl was handmade by specialist artisans in Myanmar (formerly Burma) in the late 19th century/early 20th century. The thin-walled bowl has been delicately engraved with two gold-coloured birds. Around the top are densely packed fine lines and a delicate fringe design. Interestingly there is Burmese writing on the outside of the bowl, between the birds, which says “Inwa city, Sayar San”. This is likely to be the place where the bowl was made, and beneath is probably the name of the artisan. The inside of the cup is also lacquered the same red colour. In fair condition, there are some chips and marks consistent with age and use.

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 Over time porcelain, plastic and metal have superseded lacquerware and very few of the workshops remain.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.