MSI635

ANTIQUE SILVER TRIBAL EAR PLUG PAIR WITH HANGING ORNAMENT – SHAN STATE, BURMA (GOLDEN TRIANGLE) – LATE 19TH CENTURY

• A RARE AND ASYMMETRICAL PAIR OF HANDMADE SHAN STATE TRIBAL SILVER EAR PLUGS, TRADITIONALLY WORN BY HIGHLAND ETHNIC GROUPS OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION (BURMA/MYANMAR). EACH PLUG IS CRAFTED IN HOLLOW SILVER WITH HAND-FORGED CYLINDRICAL SHAFTS AND FLARED REPOUSSÉ FRONTS. ONE PLUG FEATURES AN ORIGINAL HAMMERED SILVER PENDANT ORNAMENT, WHILE THE OTHER IS UNADORNED, A FORM KNOWN IN SEVERAL SHAN AND PALAUNG SUBGROUPS.

• THESE EARRINGS SHOW SUBTLE IRREGULARITIES TYPICAL OF TRIBAL SILVERSMITHING FROM SHAN STATE, INCLUDING LIGHT ASYMMETRY, HAND-HAMMERED SURFACES, AND AGE-WORN PATINA. THEIR SHAPE AND CONSTRUCTION DIFFER CLEARLY FROM KAREN HILL TRIBE FORMS AND ALIGN MORE CLOSELY WITH SHAN, PALAUNG, OR NEIGHBORING UPLAND TRADITIONS OF THE NORTHERN BURMA HIGHLANDS.

• WEIGHT: SHORTER: 4.69G | LONGER: 9.77G
• MEASUREMENTS: SHORTER: L50MM × W20MM | LONGER: L72MM × W20MM
• EARLOBE HOLE SIZE: 6MM (FRONT FLARE: 20MM)

• CONDITION: ANTIQUE – INTACT. ONE PLUG RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL HAMMERED SILVER HANGING ORNAMENT; THE OTHER IS PLAIN. ONE PLUG IS SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN THE OTHER. PATINA IS RICH AND CONSISTENT WITH AGE. MAY BE CLEANED IF DESIRED, BUT PRESERVED IN ORIGINAL UNTOUCHED CONDITION FOR AUTHENTICITY. COLLECTIBLE & DISPLAYABLE.

REFERENCE:
– PEOPLE OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE, P. 61 – PAUL & ELAINE LEWIS (RIVER BOOKS)
– A WORLD OF EARRINGS: AFRICA – ASIA – AMERICA, P. 223 – ANNE VAN CUTSEM (SKIRA)

NOTES: SOLD AS A PAIR. FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING.