Chinese Spectacles Cases

Pictures below showing two antique 19th century Chinese spectacles cases from my collection. Case 1 is made of wood, and case 2 is the embroidered silk.


Case 1

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Case 2

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Bronze Moko Drum / Kettledrum

Moko are bronze kettledrums from Alor Island, Indonesia. While they have been found in several different locations in Indonesia, they are most famously associated with the island of Alor, where they have long been prized in ceremonial exchanges. Later moko were made in China and Java and were brought to Alor in the 19th century.

Some scholars identify the designs and decorations have their likely origin in Đông Sơn, Vietnam. However, it remains a mystery as to how the older Đông Sơn drums arrived in Alor. Local origin stories describe the discovery of mokos buried in the ground, and it is still common to hear of moko being uncovered in this way.

Moko remain as an important symbol of status and particularly very important for their ritual value. Moko are still generally required as part of the bridal dowry, though the short supply of moko today means that moko must often be borrowed or mortgaged for this purpose.

Height : 31cm, Diameter : 17.5cm, Weight : 2.2kg

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