Unusual Antique ‘Genie’ Singing Bowl with a Unique F Voice!

Antique Singing Bowl.   F4 & F#4 (Heart Chakra)

Weight 1 lb 13 ¼ oz. (832 grams).   Size 19 x 12 cm (7 ½ x 4 ¾ inches)

This extraordinary antique singing bowl has a unique voice with a tendency to move from F4 (341Hz) to F#4 (362Hz) depending upon which part of the bowl is struck.  Sometimes both notes sing together.  It’s an interesting but strangely eerie sound!   This bowl will also produce a fifth octave B (1000Hz) if played around the rim with a wooden ringer, but a little practice is required because the playing edge is smooth and rounded.

This unusual bowl with its rare form is in excellent condition for its age.  It has an attractive golden colour and is free of stains and blemishes. Decoration includes a band of dots set between some incised parallel lines forming a (now faint) collar just below the outer rim.  The dots are all that remain of decorative sun motifs (a punched dot surrounded by a circle).   There is also evidence of a bunting-like decoration of downward pointing triangles below the collar.

The unique shape of this old bowl results in a sound quality unlike any other.  I particularly like the way the sound appears to form inside the bowl…and once it gets going it becomes directional and escapes from its open mouth like a genie in a bottle! 

A striker and double-ended teak and suede ringer are included in the price.

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Listen: (2 struck notes and a played note, the latter in haste)