Burmese Buddhism Scripture with Lacquer Covers

Burmese (Myanmar) Lacquerware has a long tradition dating back to the 13th century. Lacquer in Burma is called “Thitsi” meaning the sap of a Thitsi Tree (Melanhorrea Usitata). Typica...

Burmese (Myanmar) Lacquerware has a long tradition dating back to the 13th century. Lacquer in Burma is called “Thitsi” meaning the sap of a Thitsi Tree (Melanhorrea Usitata). Typica...

Burmese (Myanmar) lacquer ware has a long tradition dating back to the 13th century. Lacquer in Burma is called “Thitsi” meaning the sap of a Thitsi Tree (Melanhorrea Usitata). Typic...

Burmese (Myanmar) lacquer ware has a long tradition dating back to the 13th century. Lacquer in Burma is called “Thitsi” meaning the sap of a Thitsi Tree (Melanhorrea Usitata). Typically, bamboo and wood are used as a frame or base in making lacquer work. This covered offering vessel is called a “Hsun Ok...

A rare and complete set of wood bucket with cinnabar lacquer and gold paint housing a pewter tea pot with a fabric pouch from Ryukyu Kingdom, Second Shō dynasty, circa 19th century. Located in nowadays Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Ryukyu kingdom (1429 to 1879) was a tributary state of imperial Ming...

A fine Japanese miniature kodansu constructed from Kaki wood (Persimmon) circa 19th century, late Meiji period. With its expressive exotic wood grains and exposed tenon construction,...

A Japanese export Nagasaki lacquer tobacco box with the portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte Edo-period, circa 1810 The box in black lacquer on copper, ...

A gorgeous Burmese carved and gold leafed teakwood stand and cover for a kammavaca manuscript, late 18th or early 19th century, Burma. The manuscript chest is heavily rococo influenced, speaking to the French presence in the region at the time. The carved teak stand is formed as a raised platform set upon four large scrolling acanthus leaf feet, with carved flour-de-lis to the apron. The cover for the stand is also carved from teak, and features a series of rectangular cartouches, each set with a red foil backed glass "gem", surrounded by shell inlay, and embellished with green and silver foil backed glass sequins. The top of the cover features the same design motif, with the addition of thayo lacquer design elements, and is strongly reminiscent of Tibetan manuscript...

A very fine Japanese maki-e lacquer decorated tabako bon, or smoking box, late Edo Period, mid-19th century, Japan. The elegant smoking box of black lacquer decorated with a wonderful gold lacquer takamaki-e design of a gnarled and elegantly twisted plum tree with branches in full bloom. A border of golden cranes in flight to the top. The smoking box, called a tabako bon, is comprised of an open section at the top with inset with two cylindrical metal canisters...

A rare Japanese export lacquer medical instrument box Edo-period, 1650-1700 L. 19 x W. 6 x H. 8.5 cm This unconventionally shaped lacquer b...

The 'ishime' lacquered case consisting of two conforming molded sections with one sliding overtop the other, both sides decorated with hand painted gilt, silver & burnt dark russet (kasshoku) lacquers, depicting motifs in low relief of a rat with an acorn on one side and two acorns on the opposing. In Japanese culture rats are considered auspicious symbols of fertility & wealth, acorns symbolize prosperity & growth. Signed with characters and a mon on one edge. Takamaki-e is a lacquer technique in which metallic powders such as silver, gold, copper, pewter etc., are used in combination with lacquer & clay-dust to build up motifs in low relief. Please note that the color tones & hues of the lacquered motifs appear somewhat more vibrant in the images due to ambient lighting conditions. Regarding the opinion stating the superior quality of this fine example being likened to works associated with those by Shibata...

This antique Chinese screen features intricate inlaid mother of pearl goddesses. What makes this screen unusual is the grand scale of the design of the figures. The screen is lacquered in black and entirely hand painted. The reverse side of the screen is also hand painted. The screen can be used as a room divider or headboard. Coromandel lacquer screens...