MSI649

LARGE | HEAVY OLD BRONZE TATTOO TAPPER NEEDLE (HNITKWASOK) WITH SPIRITUAL FINIAL – SRI GANESHA OR ANTHROPOMORPHIC FIGURE – SHAN OR CHIN TRIBE – LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY – GENUINE – ORIGINAL – HAND-CAST – MYANMAR (BURMA)

THIS IMPRESSIVE AND AUTHENTIC TATTOOING IMPLEMENT IS KNOWN LOCALLY AS A HNITKWASOK. IT IS HAND-CAST IN BRONZE AND FEATURES A DISTINCTIVE FINIAL THAT MAY DEPICT EITHER A STYLIZED ANTHROPOMORPHIC FIGURE OR SRI GANESHA — THE ELEPHANT-HEADED HINDU DEITY, SON OF SHIVA AND PARVATI, REVERED AS THE REMOVER OF OBSTACLES AND GOD OF WISDOM AND NEW BEGINNINGS. REPRESENTING GANESHA, THE FINIAL CLEARLY MARKS THIS TOOL AS A RITUAL OBJECT IMBUED WITH SPIRITUAL POWER AND ACTING AS WEIGHT TO DRIVE THE NEEDLE AND INK TO DESIRED PLACE UNDER THE SKIN.

TATTOOING IN MYANMAR DATES BACK OVER A THOUSAND YEARS. BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THERAVĀDA BUDDHISM, ANIMIST BELIEFS DOMINATED THE REGION. TATTOOS WERE SEEN AS PROTECTIVE CHARMS—INFUSED WITH POWER TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS, ENEMIES, AND MISFORTUNE. DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS, INCLUDING THE SHAN AND CHIN, DEVELOPED DISTINCT TATTOOING STYLES, SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS, AND RITUALS CONNECTED TO IDENTITY, STATUS, MASCULINITY, AND SPIRITUAL DEFENSE.

TRIBAL TATTOO MASTERS USED INSTRUMENTS LIKE THIS IN COMING-OF-AGE CEREMONIES, INITIATIONS, OR MILITARY PREPARATION. THE TAPPER WAS DESIGNED TO BE IMBEDDING INK INTO THE SKIN THROUGH THE NEEDLE WHILE THE FINIAL FIGURE STOOD AS A GUARDIAN SYMBOL.

THIS EXCEPTIONAL COMPLETE PIECE, CAST IN BRONZE WITH A CENTRAL IRON TUBE, IS A RARE SURVIVOR FROM A LOST ERA. DUE TO THE ONGOING WAR AND SOCIAL COLLAPSE IN MYANMAR, THESE TRADITIONAL ARTIFACTS ARE NO LONGER PRODUCED, MAKING SUCH AN ITEM EXTREMELY RARE AND SIGNIFICANT FOR COLLECTORS, SCHOLARS, AND CURATORS OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN CULTURE. (READ MORE)

DETAILS:

ORIGIN: MYANMAR (BURMA) – SHAN OR CHIN TRIBE PERIOD: LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY MATERIALS:

• TOP FINIAL: BRONZE (ANTHROPOMORPHIC SPIRIT OR GANESHA FIGURE)

• MIDDLE TUBE: IRON (WILL NATURALLY DEVELOP PATINA OR MINOR RUST)

• NEEDLE: BRONZE

CONSTRUCTION: 3 DETACHABLE PARTS

• TOP FINIAL: 15.5 CM (L) X 6 CM (W) X 3 CM (D)

• MIDDLE TUBE: 17 CM (L) X 1.2 CM (DIAMETER)

• NEEDLE: 11.5 CM (L) X 1 CM (DIAMETER)

• ASSEMBLED SIZE: 37.5 CM (L) X 6.6 CM (W) X 3 CM (D)

• TOTAL WEIGHT: 460.5 GRAMS

CONDITION: VERY GOOD FOR ITS AGE. ALL PARTS FIT TOGETHER AND CAN BE ASSEMBLED AND DISPLAYED. EXCELLENT PATINA. LIGHTLY CLEANED TO PRESERVE SURFACE DETAIL WHILE RETAINING THE ORIGINAL FINISH. THE IRON SHAFT MAY SHOW MINOR OXIDATION CONSISTENT WITH AGE.

NOTES:

• THIS IS A SINGLE COMPLETE SET OF 3 COMPONENTS

• STRONG CULTURAL VALUE - RARE - NO SERIOUS COLLECTION IS COMPLETE WITHOUT IT

• A REMARKABLE PIECE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN ETHNOGRAPHIC AND RITUAL ART

⚠️ CAUTION: CONTAINS SHARP COMPONENTS. HANDLE WITH CARE. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.