ANTIQUE 20thC BURMESE REPOUSSÉ SOLID SILVER "SAMA JATAKA" SCENES BOWL c.1914

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Sama Jataka's linear narrative was particularly well suited to the skills of Burmese silversmiths. The bowl illustrates: the ascetic couple to whom the miraculous birth of the bodhisattva was a boon; his devoted care for them after they were blinded by a serpent’s venom; his near-fatal wounding by a hunter-king, followed by the king’s remorse before the grief-stricken parents; and finally the divine intervention of a local goddess who revives the bodhisattva, rewarding the compassion he and his parents exemplify throughout the tale.

The sweeping tapestry-like storyboard is set between a lower band of lotus bud motifs and an upper band resembling scrolling acanthus stems and flowers. It is noteworthy that the silversmith did not sacrifice the quality of the decorative workmanship in crafting this remarkably large and heavy bowl. As a result, this is a tour-de-force of Burmese silverware. Secret scriptures from the Buddhist canon are the primary source of the narratives that embellish Lower and Middle Burma-style offering bowls. The allegorical Jataka tales are the silversmith's most popular group of stories used to decorate all Burmese artefacts from the Silver Age. The essence of each story and its message is typically revealed in a series of framed or tapestry-style scenes in the central decorative band of the bowl.

The underside bears a dated inscription, translated: "U Po Hlaing's silver bowl 1276 [1914 CE]." Acid tested, the bowl shows a 900+ silver standard.

There is no evidence of commercial-scale manufacturing of silver for export during the Burmese Silver Age (c.1850–1930). Aside from a calendar of international expositions, Burmese silversmiths catered primarily to a domestic market of native residents, expatriates, and visitors. Frequently depicting the moral lessons of the Jataka tales, the Ramayana, and local legends, the art of the Silver Age reflects a broader cultural ethos: the Burmese championing of Buddhism and traditional values within familial, religious, and ceremonial contexts. Modesty, filial piety, and generosity are moral principles still closely associated with Myanmar today. Yet beyond the expression of these ideals, the depiction of canonical narratives on silver also points to a quiet but persistent Burmese resistance to colonial rule and an underlying desire for national self-determination.

This finely decorated ceremonial offering bowl is quintessential Burmese silver artwork. Its simple geometry follows the shape of traditional alms bowls carried by Buddhist monks. Its domestic function was versatile – used as a vessel for temple offerings, a storyboard for teaching and reinforcing ethical and spiritual values, a display of wealth and status, and a sensory delight when filled with tropical flowers. In contrast to Burmese silver made for Europeans, which often included hallmarks, silver intended for native residents went unsigned, as marks were considered ostentatious. Instead, the owner’s name would be inscribed underneath for religious reasons: in Theravāda Buddhism, offerings made to temples and monasteries generate karmic merit for the donor, and the value of the vessel used contributed to the merit earned. Such bowls were often lent to relatives and friends for offerings, thereby generating merit for both lender and borrower. As such, silver offering bowls were valued, shared, and returned to their rightful owners, whose names were typically inscribed beneath.

This item has been published in Burmese Silver Art: Masterpieces Illuminating Buddhist, Hindu and Mythological Stories of Purpose and Wisdom, 2020, p.80, no. S104, fig. 3.63. 

Bonhams, The Noble Silver Collection: Treasures from the Burmese Silver Age, 14 – 24 March 2022, New York, lot 904.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - Wear expected with age. Please refer to photographs. 

SIZE

Height: 17 cm // 6.69 inches
Diameter: 28.5 cm // 11.22 inches
Weight: 1245 grams // 40.03 ozt