MSI381

A FINE ANTIQUE SILVER “SEED BAG” HOOK EARRING, BY THE PADAUNG (KAYAN) HILL TRIBE OF BURMA / MYANMAR. THIS DISTINCTIVE FORM, ALSO KNOWN IN ETHNOGRAPHIC LITERATURE AS A “SEED POD” OR “SEED POUCH” EARRING, IS CHARACTERIZED BY ITS HOLLOW, POD-SHAPED TERMINAL DECORATED WITH DENSE GRANULATION AND COILED WIRE MOTIFS. SUCH DESIGNS ARE SYMBOLIC OF FERTILITY, PROSPERITY, AND CONTINUITY, AND ARE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL FEMALE ADORNMENT AMONG PADAUNG COMMUNITIES.

HANDCRAFTED IN SILVER OR HIGH-SILVER ALLOY (NOT TESTED YET), THE EARRING FEATURES A LARGE, ROBUST HOOK INTENDED FOR STRETCHED EARLOBES, COMBINING BOTH FUNCTIONALITY AND STRIKING SCULPTURAL PRESENCE. THE GRANULATED SURFACE AND SOLID CONSTRUCTION INDICATE TRADITIONAL METALWORK TECHNIQUES RATHER THAN MODERN CASTING, SUGGESTING PRODUCTION IN THE LATE 19TH TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

ORIGINALLY WORN AS A PAIR, THIS EXAMPLE REPRESENTS A SURVIVING SINGLE EARRING, A COMMON AND ACCEPTED CONDITION FOR AUTHENTIC TRIBAL JEWELRY THAT SAW DAILY USE. IT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION FOR ITS AGE, FULLY INTACT, WEARABLE, AND HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE, HAS SMALL OPENING IN 1 SIDE, SEE IMAGES. 

REFERENCE:
A WORLD OF EARRINGS AFRICA – ASIA – AMERICA – PAGE: 214 - BY ANN VAN CUTSEM – SKIRA

WEIGHT: 6.76 GRAMS
MEASUREMENTS: LENGTH 40 MM | WIDTH 15 MM
EARLOBE HOLE: APPROX. 2 MM
CONDITION: VERY GOOD FOR ITS AGE
SALE: SINGLE EARRING