19th Century Burmese Bronze Opium Weight

19th century Burmese bronze opium weight
This is an exceptionally rare, monumental and stylized opium weight, depicting a mythical bird called Hintha, in patinated bronze.
The Hintha, also known as the Hamsa or Brahmani duck, is a sacred water bird deeply rooted in Burmese mythology and folklore. This specific variant features an integrated curved handle that extends from the crest of the head to its elaborate tail feathers.
Despite their popular Western nickname ("opium weights"), these bronze figurines were the official standard weights used throughout the Konbaung Burmese empire to measure all daily market goods, bulk commodities and monetary metals such as silver.
20 cm wide, 11 cm deep and 24 cm high.
The base measures 13 cm by 13 cm.
Total weight: 7.3 kg
Provenance: Robert Willocx Collection, Brussels
The Robert Willocx Collection was a highly regarded private collection of Asian art.
It was built up over several decades by Professor Robert Willocx (1932-2023), an eminent Belgian physician, professor and gastroenterologist at the Catholic University of Leuven.