Interesting Large Antique Manipuri Singing Bowl with Abundant Artwork
SOLD
Antique Manipuri Singing Bowl. Notes: Eb3 & A4 (Solar Plexus & Third Eye Chakras)
Weight: 838 grams (1 lb 14 oz). Size: 21.5 x 7.5 cm (8 ½ x 3 inches)
This interesting early 19th century Manipuri Singing Bowl features abundant artwork including a ring of suns (dots within circles) at it centre, suns all around its lip, and at intervals around the rim on the outer wall. A decorative line also encircles the wall about an inch below the inner rim.
This bowl also features a decorative band of magical or ritual cuts or gashes around the outer rim, which I believe to be associated with the bowl’s initiation.
The fundamental note is a near perfect pitch third octave Eb3 (154Hz) when struck with a padded mallet, and a middle octave A4 (435Hz) when played around the rim with a suede ringer. The rim note changes to a fifth octave G#5 (818Hz) with a wooden ringer. It is a responsive bowl and easy to play.
This old Manipuri bowl is in excellent structural condition, and basically clean, but with a circle of copper oxidization at its centre, probably due to it containing water for a long time.
A complementary Tibetan silk brocade cushion and ringer are included.