Antique Cambodia / China Apsara Dancers Bronze Bowl?

[KevinM]

I purchased this antique bronze or brass bowl a few months ago at the TS and am trying to find out a few things about it that I haven't been too successful with using online searches.

The Bowl measures about 2 3/8 of an inch in height and 4 3/8 of an inch in width at it's widest point towards the center of the bowl.

The bowl I think is made out of bronze or brass or mixed metal and has a tin or silver lining and has a wonderful patina to it.

The bowl is chased and repoussed with what I think are Apsara Dancers from maybe Cambodia, China or somewhere in that region but I'm not sure. Some Dancers have a Pointed Head Piece and some don't.

Does anyone know what type of dancers these are, where the bowl was made and how old it might be?

Thanks!
Kevin

[KC]

Agree it looks Cambodian in nature.  Also, it isn't considered a "hat" but is considered a headpiece!


But it could also be Thai...as in Thailand

[KC]

Can you please post SINGLE pictures of the last two frames so I can enlarge.  Trying to see their clothing!

[KevinM]

KC, I've included the original larger images (there is lots of hard to see detail) but I downsized them to 320 KB to load faster. You may have to use the scroll bar or open you're browser up larger to see the full image.

[mart]

Can`t see the last two pics,, not loading !! The figures look both male and female !!

[KevinM]

mart, I can see the last 2 images? Can you reload the page, I'm not sure why you can't see them? KC, can you see the last 2 images?

mart, I think you are correct, on the left image it looks like male figures and on the right it looks like female figures. Were there also male Apsara Dancers or are they something else?

[KC]

If you look into the Thai dancers, there are males.  There are also in Burmese dancers!

Now I haven't seen any in the Cambodian. 

Although they beg to differ, the two countries have alot of intermingled history!

[KevinM]

Thanks KC! Yes, most likely from that region. The attire that they wear seem to be very similar with just subtle differences over periods of time. On this bowl the attire they are wearing I have yet to find an exact match for on anything vintage anywhere which may help place a date and location for the bowl.

Inside the bowl it looks very aged. I suspect this is a very old bowl. There also seems to be some red paint or something on it. Perhaps a later artifact that got on it. I wonder what this bowl would have been used for?

Kevin