MSI655

SINGLE KAREN HILL TRIBE LOW-SILVER / COPPER ALLOY “CUP” EAR PLUG – HANDMADE – ORIGINAL

Period: Early–mid 20th century
Region: Thailand–Myanmar (Burma) border (Karen areas)

Weight: 8.79 grams
Dimensions: Length 24 mm | Front flare 33 mm | Back flare 19 mm
Earlobe hole size: Approx. 15 mm

Condition:
Used – very good overall condition with attractive aged patina. Structurally intact. Surface shows natural wear consistent with age. Metal can be further polished, though current finish preserves authenticity and character.

Description

Authentic Karen hill tribe ear plug of classic “cup” form, traditionally worn in stretched earlobes. This example is handmade from a low-silver-content alloy with copper base, a material commonly used in regional tribal jewelry where high-purity silver was scarce or economically impractical.

The form is functional and archetypal: a flared front disc with a tapered body and back flare, ensuring secure wear. Subtle irregularities, tool marks, and asymmetry confirm hand-forged production using traditional silversmithing techniques, rather than modern casting.

The surface displays a mature patina with mixed silver-grey and warmer copper undertones, indicating age, wear, and possible historic surface enrichment. Such tonal variation is typical of Karen alloys, often referred to in the trade as “hill tribe silver,” though frequently below sterling standard.

Cultural Context

Among Karen communities, ear plugs of this type were daily adornment as well as identity markers, associated with maturity, beauty, and cultural belonging. They were worn continuously and often retained over long periods, sometimes passed within families.

Unlike high-refined court jewelry, these pieces reflect practical metallurgy, mobility, and local resource adaptation, making them ethnographically significant objects rather than purely decorative items.

Material

Low silver content alloy (silver mixed with copper base)
Hand-forged / traditional fabrication

Notes

– Genuine tribal workmanship with visible hand-tooling
– Naturally aged patina; not aggressively polished
– Increasingly scarce in original single form
– Suitable for collectors, study, or display

Lightly cleaned to preserve detail while maintaining original surface character.

References

“People of the Golden Triangle” – Paul Lewis & Elaine Lewis – pp. 61, 71
“A World of Earrings: Africa – Asia – America” – Ann Van Cutsem – pp. 236–237
“The Vanishing Tribes of Burma” – Richard K. Diran – p. 121
“From the Hands of the Hills” – Margaret Campbell – pp. 82, 93, 96

Sold as single