a very old bronze vase

Hello,

I would like to identify and date this fascinating and very old bronze vase, very large and hazy, with oriental or middle eastern decorations, and I think I see a sort of brand, of mark, on the bottom, but I can not understand well.
height 15 cm
width 24 cm
weight 1.53 kg

thank you

 

It is a bowl, the base of a sirih (betel leaf and nut) set. Either from Sumatra (Indonesia), Malaysia or Singapore. It is late 19th-early 20th century.
This is what a complete set looks like:

http://enticz.blogspot.com/2011/05/betel-nut-paraphernalia.html

Here is just a bowl/base (and plate) with an openwork footrim:

https://veiling.catawiki.nl/kavels/10811617-bronze-sirih-bowl-sumatra-indonesia

 

There is always a discussion on whether to clean and polish old bronze and brass or not. In my opinion your sirih bowl would benefit from a bit of a clean and polish.

And try to get rid of the verdigris, that can do more harm than good. There are several threads and posts on the forum with advice on removing verdigris.

 

U Rock , AJ !!!

Great pics Gian !!!!

 

Thanks so much !!! :-D ok i ll clean it as well ;-)
Wow i'm amazed of your expertise :-D

 

Stick around........U ain't seen nothing yet !!

& help others where u can !!

Here...we're always paying it forward !!

 

@Any Jewelry @i need help

Update

Catawiki expert
Amy Wassing
wrote to me as the following :
"Dear seller, I am very certain that this sirih bowl was not made in Indonesia but in India. The shape of the bowl is not from Indonesia, also the swastika motif is uncommon in Indonesian sirihbowls. Therefore I would suggest that you re-offer the lot to the auction Asian Antiques >> Indian/Islamic art."

What do you think about it ?

Thanks

 

AnyJewlery would best for this question.

 

now I join you together, you are my best friends of this forum

 

I see, I am in good company.

 

I think Amy should go back to school. India doesn't have sirih/betel bowls like this, and the swastika motif is very common on Indonesian metalware.
It is quite simple, if you google India betel bowl, all you find is either Malay/Indonesian sirih/betel bowls, or food and drinking bowls from India.

But if she thinks it stands a better chance in another auction, by all means do it. Does she say what it is, and give an approximate value?

 

I was almost sure she was wrong I moved it to the Indian category, at least.... No she didn't set a value. Usually they publish an estimate after the lot is planned for a date.. . Thanks AJ