A small and extremely elaborately designed coffer for the keeping of sacred texts, such as the ‘Kammavaca manuscripts’ containing the rules and ordinances for monks (often given to young novices as a present) or for other sacred texts of Buddhism. The present lidded coffer is made of wood.
The inside of both lid and chest is covered in red lacquer, while the underside presents with unvarnished wood. What is striking about this ‘Kammavaca coffer’ is the lush, resplendent design of its outer surfaces: they are all coated in red lacquer and divided in sections, which in turn are decorated in relief with red-brown lacquer: straight and curvy bands inlaid with small, round, white, green and light blue mirror plates are the dividers for the 9 sections. The central mid-section on top of the lid crowds around a central lotus flower with volutes of leaf and floral tendrils. In each of the remaining eight sections, the dancing figure of a ‘magician’, called ‘zawgyi’ in Burma, can be seen, clothed in courtly fashion and glued as an appliqué upon a textile under-layer. Six of these dancing magicians are contained each within an outlined rhombus, along the top of the lid and on the two long sides of the chest. Decorating the three free surfaces are delicate volutes and spirals. Finally, all outer surfaces -- dancing magi and all -- have been varnished with gold-lacquer (with actual gold!) A magnificent, rare object without significant damage! Dimensions: 19 cm x 54 cm x 17 cm. Late 19th century to early 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Private Collection, Vienna.