Small 8 ½” Ultra-Fine and Multi-Harmonic Antique Jambati Singing Bowl

The wall of this small Jambati Singing Bowl is so fine it’s hard to believe it was once much thicker and beaten into shape with hammers.  The ultra-smoothness of its surface, inside and out, could not possibly have been achieved by handling alone, as some dealers would have you believe!  Some even assign specific centuries to their bowls according to the degree of surface smoothness…completely ignoring the fact that it’s most likely the result of ritual and abrasive cleaning over an extended period.

Regular playing as a singing bowl will have contributed something to its smoothness, but it’s much more likely that at some point in its life it has been repurposed as a food bowl that needed cleaning after every meal. 

So that begs the question…is it an old bowl worn thin and smooth over centuries by handling and playing, or a young bowl that has been vigorously and frequently scrubbed over a shorter period? 

This bowl, in my judgement, dates from the 19th Century, but not just because of its smooth and fine wall. Other factors come into play.

Low octave bowls tend to be large and too heavy for hand-held playing. A major benefit of a worn-down smooth bowl like this is the increase in its vibrant energy, resulting in a lower and rarer octave than is normal for a lightweight bowl.

This is a multi-harmonic bowl.  The fundamental note is a near perfect pitch low second octave Bb2 (115/6Hz) when struck with a padded mallet or played around the rim with a suede ringer.  The fundamental is sometimes accompanied by an E4 harmonic (336Hz).  The rim note changes to a fifth octave Eb5 (626Hz) with a wooden ringer.

It is in excellent structural condition, clean and stain-free, with a bright golden bronze colour.  It’s an attractive bowl despite all decorative features having been lost with the passage of time.

A ringer is included in the price.

Note: Audio clip coming soon.