Featured East asian water sprinkler or...........

Hi folks

something i bought ages ago, but sort of dismissed

bet you can guess what i thought it was for

but google seem to think not, copie seems to think not so

isn't that puppet type guy javanese or indonesian (should really have locked that in by now)

any thoughts appreciated

 

It is a very sweet brass 'kendi', made in East Java, Indonesia in the first half of the 20th century. A kendi is a water jug.
It is a miniature, maybe made for a child or as a little souvenir that fit in a suitcase or steamer trunk. These miniatures are pretty rare, but generally not more valuable than the big ones. It is missing its lid, but most lids are lost.

 

Thats a massive help. thanks Aj (finding more now you've given me the magic word)

this one seems a bit older/finer but same size ish, and lidded

(oh and way overpriced )

Proantic: Kendi Java En Laiton Gravé, XIXe/xxe Siècle

 

It is a real beauty, but not lidded. The top is different, a more classic model. Because it is wide, it looks like a lid, but it isn't.

Tomorrow I'll see if I can take daylight photos of some of mine.

Price overhere for these Javanese brass kendis is usually 45 euros. Of course we have a lot of them, so prices here are lower than in the UK.

 

You would've thought it was the same thing we would've thought it was when we picked it up in 1968 for 50 cents at Good Will.Naturally we would've gleefully defaced and enjoyed our inaugural smoke !
PS-Some of the 18th century pieces are worth some real loot.

 

The wonderful Michael Blackman Ltd. has (had) a few on his site.
https://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/archived_objects/javanese-indonesian-brass-kendi/

 

That is a stunner. I have never seen one like that before.

 

Michael Blackman's one of the first places were going to visit after we win the Powerball !

 

Gee, I can't understand why! Just because you need a drool rag handy to visit the site...? I'll take on of each of the Mughal pieces. Maybe except this one for @Bronwen or @PepperAnna https://www.michaelbackmanltd.com/o...och-set-with-fifty-diamonds-another-portrait/

 

I don't collect miniatures, but have been intrigued by the Parsis ever since reading Kipling's Just So story about how the rhinoceros got its wrinkled skin.

Would have liked to know more about the portraits: what are they painted on?; would the painter have been Parsi himself?; would these men have been of greater status, or were these the studio photos of their time?

 

I think they predate photography, and whoever did them was a real artist. I'd bet on a Western artist, and those guys had to have had money. I'm not a miniature collector either, but those are seriously good work.

 

Done. I selected the ones that are a similar shape to yours.

East Java, with a wooden Hanuman stopper that is used by Hindu priests:



East Java, replica of Medieval kendi. Had to have it because of the Naga stopper:



Minangkabau kendi from Sumatra, missing its stopper. I rarely buy Sumatran wares, but I have a soft spot for Minangkabau metalwork:



Oh, and the book is of historic maps of the Duchy of Brabant.

 

i can see the attraction to them

think the first is my favourite (the way the metal looks)

but they are quite a pleasing shape in general

what baffles me about mine is the weight for the amount of water is can hold

a bit like taking out a little safe for a carton of ribena

 

wish mine had that flared lip as well (with narrow neck) really gives it a better look

 

Whoever made yours cared, is my guess. It was supposed to be around for a while not fall apart like it was from Temu.

 

Very cool!