λ A CEREMONIAL MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID TWELVE-SIDED LACQUERED PEDESTAL BASIN (THALUM)
Thailand, 19th century

Of typical shape, faceted in twelve sides, with a compressed rounded basin at the top resting on a stepped pedestal, lacquered in black on the exterior and in cinnabar red on the interior (darkened) and base, the body inlaid with micromosaic veneering of mother-of-pearl tesserae arranged in three main decorative bands, the top and base similar with minor variations, decorated with rectangular panels with pairs of birds amidst rosette sprays and lush vegetal trellis, alternating with two rows of stylised diamond-shaped flower heads, above them a band with drop-shaped fringes, the middle with a continuous band of scrolling rosette tendrils and lush foliage, repeated on the top of the rim, 37cm diam. and 22.5cm high.

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