Lacquerware

Go to the Lacquerware Gallery

Premier Antique Lacquerware from Burma

Burma is a large country located in South East Asia (sharing common borders with Bangladesh and Thailand). Due to political issues - the country is ruled by an oppressive military junta - it has not yet opened to the rest of the world. For this reason, Burmese Art and the Art of lacquerware in partcular, has been little studied and shown until now.

Lacquerware is a sturdy, water resistant, natural plastic and can be designed and embellished using a number of different techniques. One can say that Burmese craftsmen have excelled in the Art of decorating lacquerware vessels. The two most important centers of production in Burma were Pagan and Shan, the two having adopted caracteristically different techniques of decoration.

Objects in lacquerware always have played an important role in Burmese culture and society. They were used for a wide range of purposes, ranging from traditional ceremonies [temples, weddings, at the King's court] to music and day to day life. Most Burmese lacquerware objects dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries can now be found in museums around the world.

However, it is still possible to find antique lacquerware objects dating back to the end of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. This is what this site is offering you.

All our antique Burmese lacquerware objects are :

Authentic

Over the years, the ancient techniques for crafting Burmese lacquerware have been lost. New objects made in lacquer have very distinctive features nowhere close in quality / attractiveness to the ones of genuine antique objects. We guarantee the authenticity of all antique Burmese lacquerware objects shown on this site. All pieces are genuine and not copies. If you would like to know more, please send us an email.

Original Condition

Objects are presented in their original condition, meaning they have not been repaired. It is however common for the interior parts of a betel nut box or an offering vessel to have been re-lacquered, but this does not alter the intrinsic value of the object in any way.

Rare

As we indicated earlier, antique Burmese lacquerware objects are becoming more and more difficult to find. In five to ten years, most of these objects will have disappeared from antique shops specializing in asian art and antiques, only to be found at select oriental art galleries around the globe. We offer to collectors a unique opportunity to buy these objects today and reap the benefits of their investment tomorrow.

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