MSI003

A RARE AND AUTHENTIC PAIR OF TRADITIONAL SILVER EAR PLUGS (EAR TUNNELS) WORN BY THE YINBAO KAREN (RED KAREN) HILL TRIBES OF SHAN STATE, BURMA. THESE HANDCRAFTED ORNAMENTS WERE PART OF TRIBAL IDENTITY AND STATUS, SERVING BOTH AS ADORNMENT AND AS SYMBOLS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE.

DETAILS:

• MATERIAL: SOLID SILVER
• WEIGHT: 31.7 GRAMS (PAIR)
• EARLOBE SIZE: 22 MM
• LENGTH: 15 MM
• FRONT FLARE: 30 MM
• ESTIMATED AGE: MID-20TH CENTURY (CIRCA 1940–1960), DETERMINED BY STYLE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND SURFACE PATINA

CONDITION:
VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH ORIGINAL PATINA. ALL PARTS INTACT.

REFERENCES:

• A WORLD OF EARRINGS: AFRICA – ASIA – AMERICA BY ANN VAN CUTSEM, SKIRA, PP. 236–237
• THE VANISHING TRIBES OF BURMA BY RICHARD K. DIRAN, AMPHOTO ART / WATSON-GUPTILL PUBLICATIONS, NEW YORK, PP. 220–223

QUANTITY: 1 PAIR

THIS PIECE REPRESENTS THE VANISHING TRADITIONS OF BURMA’S ETHNIC HILL TRIBES AND IS A COLLECTIBLE EXAMPLE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN TRIBAL SILVERWORK.