MSI404

VINTAGE SHAN / LISU HILL TRIBE SILVER RING – FLORAL ROSETTE DESIGN

THIS AUTHENTIC VINTAGE SILVER RING ORIGINATES FROM SHAN STATE, MYANMAR, AND WAS TRADED WIDELY AMONG LISU AND AKHA HILL TRIBE COMMUNITIES DURING THE EARLY TO MID-20TH CENTURY.

HANDCRAFTED USING THE LOST-WAX CASTING METHOD, THE PIECE FEATURES A BOLD FOUR-PETAL FLORAL ROSETTE WITH A CENTRAL DOMED BOSS, FLANKED BY BEADED BORDER BANDS – A SIGNATURE MOTIF IN SHAN SILVERSMITHING. EACH PETAL GROOVE HAS BEEN HAND-CHASED, GIVING SUBTLE IRREGULARITIES THAT MARK IT AS TRUE TRIBAL WORKMANSHIP RATHER THAN A MODERN REPRODUCTION.

TRADITIONALLY, SUCH RINGS WERE WORN AS DECORATIVE JEWELRY, AS PART OF WEDDING DOWRIES, AND AS PORTABLE WEALTH. THIS EXAMPLE RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL DARK PATINA, HIGHLIGHTING THE DEPTH OF THE FLORAL DESIGN.

DETAILS

• ORIGIN: SHAN STATE, MYANMAR – TRADED AMONG LISU AND AKHA HILL TRIBES

• DATE: C. 1930S–1950S

• MATERIAL: HIGH-GRADE TRIBAL SILVER (APPROX. 90–95% PURITY)

• CONSTRUCTION: LOST-WAX CAST WITH HAND-FINISHED DETAILS

• MEASUREMENTS: L 25 MM | W 17 MM | D 14 MM

• RING SIZE: 14 MM INTERNAL DIAMETER (APPROX. US SIZE 3)

• WEIGHT: 9.09 G

• CONDITION: EXCELLENT VINTAGE CONDITION WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE WEAR AND RICH PATINA; NO REPAIRS

PROVENANCE & CULTURAL NOTES
FLORAL ROSETTE DESIGNS IN SHAN SILVERWORK SYMBOLIZE VITALITY, PROSPERITY, AND GOOD FORTUNE. THE BEADED EDGE ON THE BAND IS A DECORATIVE ELEMENT OFTEN SEEN IN CEREMONIAL JEWELRY WORN DURING WEDDINGS AND FESTIVALS. PIECES OF THIS QUALITY WERE TYPICALLY PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS OR TRADED ACROSS THE MYANMAR–THAILAND–LAOS BORDER.