Ancient Burma Weight 19th Century – Hintha Bird – Traditional Asian Art

ANTIQUE BURMA WEIGHT 19TH CENTURY – HINTHA BIRD – SOLID BRONZE – RICE WEIGHT – TRADITIONAL ASIAN ART Elegant solid bronze weight representing a stylized bird identified as a Hintha (or Hamsa), an emblematic figure of Lower Burma. The bird is depicted seated, holding a plant stem in its beak, with plumage decorated with incised scrolls. The folded wings and sculpted tail reinforce the balance of the volume. The circular base is flat and decorated with fine, regular lines. Bronze with old brown patina, with signs of use Dimensions: 9.5 × 8 × 7 cm Provenance: Old collection from the south of France, built up from the 1970s. "This weight belongs to the rarer category of weights intended for rice or other foodstuffs, as opposed to the many opium weights of the region. The motif of the Hintha, a mythological bird symbolizing purity and longevity, is particularly associated with Lower Burma. Its presence on this weight testifies to a protective as well as decorative dimension in traditional commercial practices." * Shipping costs on estimate.