Asam Gelugor Fruit-Shaped Brass Container

Below are the pictures of the Asam Gelugor fruit-shaped brass container from my collection.

Asam Gelugor, known as Garcinia atroviridis or asam keping in Malay, is a large rain forest tree native to peninsular Malaysia. This species grows wild throughout peninsular Malaysia but is also widely cultivated, especially in the northern states, owing to its economic and medicinal value.

Garcinia is a large perennial plant commonly found in evergreen forests in the southern region of Thailand and Malaysia. The fruit contains citric acids, such as tartaric and ascorbic acids. Sun-dried slices of the fruits, locally known as "asam keping", are commercially available and are popularly used as a vegetable salad and is considered extremely sour.

The Asam Gelugor fruit-shaped brass container like this in my collection were used to keep jewelry or betel for the Malay families in the past.

Height : 8.2cm, Diameter : 10.2cm

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Asam Gelugor Fruit-shaped Brass Container

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Also check out the "Silver Betel / Tobacco Box", the "Spittoons", the "Betel Nut Paraphernalia" and the "Indonesian Betel Or Tobacco Box".

Indian Repoussé Silver Plates And Cups

Pictures below are the finely chased and repousséd Indian silver plates and cups demonstrates the remarkable skills of 19th century Indian silversmiths from my collection.

The plates are perfectly formed, repousséd and finely chased with the high relief Islamic-influenced scrolling tendril, foliage and flower patterns against a finely tooled background that is typical of Kutch work.

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Diameter : 15cm
Front view.
The outside border is copiously worked with further foliage and floral motifs.

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The reverse view of the plate.

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Diameter : 9.5cm
Front view.
Another type of repoussé silver plate.

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The reverse view of the plate.

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Two Indian silver cups.
Height : 3cm, Diameter : 4.7cm

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Closer look of the repoussé and chase work.

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The base of the cup.

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Another picture of the base of the cup with a unique flower mark.

Indian Anklets

Pictures below are two pairs of heavy bronze Indian anklets from my collection. It is believed to have been used by the Tamil community during 1920s-1930s. They are hollow, decorated with geometric patterns and with narrow elliptical shape, bending upward at each end. With the rattle of loose metal rolling inside the hollow space, soft sounds will be produced when worn.

Indian anklets 1

Indian anklets 1

Indian anklets 1

Indian anklets 2

Indian anklets 2

Indian anklets 2

Also check out the "Nyonya Jewelleries".

Wood Carved Chinese Guardian Lions

Pictures below are two pairs of wood carved Chinese guardian lions from my collection. Chinese guardian lions, known as 'Shi' (獅) were often incorrectly called "Fu Dogs" (Fu means fortune or luck in Chinese) in the West, are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China. They have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits.

Pairs of guardian lions are still common decorative and symbolic elements at home or at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other structures.

The small ones such as pictures below, are usually placed at the front altar of the Peranakan or Chinese families as to protect the household.

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Pictures below show another pair of guardian lions which were usually attached to the furnitures such as cupboards and altar tables.

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