Glorious 12 ¼ “ High-Wall Temple Jambati Singing Bowl – Low B2 – 2 Inscriptions

This glorious large antique Jambati Singing Bowl has, to my mind at least, the most beautiful shape of all Jambati bowls with its unusually high wall, slightly bulbous body, and exceptionally rounded bottom.  It has a wide triangulated lip and decorative incised lines forming a collar around the outer rim.  The circles at its centre unusually include an eye (tiny circle in the middle).

Its physical beauty is matched by a superb low pulsating perfect pitch second octave B2 fundamental (125Hz) when struck with a padded mallet or played around the rim with a suede ringer.  It has a long sustain.  The rim note is on the cusp between middle F#4 (379Hz) and G4 (380Hz) when played with a wooden ringer.  This is a heavy bowl weighing almost 3 kilos, so some might prefer to place it on a cushion when playing around the rim.

This bowl benefits from two well-defined engraved inscriptions, one above the other, around the rim.  The top one is in an  Indian script, the meaning of which is unknown.  The other is the initials S.R.B.  I believe they were inscribed at different times.  Inscriptions are an indication of the high esteem in which a bowl was held by a former keeper.  They always add interest and value.

This is clearly an impressive and superior quality bowl, and it is quite likely that it served an important ceremonial purpose and was commissioned by or for a temple.  The fineness of its walls, now worn smoother with the passage of time, are particularly noteworthy, and it has a fabulous aged golden colour.

Antique Jambati Singing Bowls approaching anything like this size are extremely rare and sought after for their beautiful low resonant notes, loud voices and long sustains.  This one is as good as they come!

A Tibetan silk brocade bowl cushion, a padded striker and a ringer are all included in the price.