Rare Large Antique Flange-Lipped Puja & Fountain Singing Bowl – Perfect Pitch A3

This extremely rare and unusual-shaped antique singing bowl is very distinctive with its gently curved low wall, wide flanged and grooved lip, and flat bottom.  There are wide-set circles at its centre, a decorative pair of parallel lines encircling the inner rim and another pair around the outer wall about an inch below the rim.

The fundamental note is a perfect pitch third octave A3 (219Hz) when struck with a padded mallet or played around the rim with a suede or wooden ringer.  The struck note is particularly satisfying, with a hint of self amplification.  Striking the rim with a hard ringer produces a fifth octave Eb5 (626Hz).  It is very responsive.

This bowl has sufficient vibrant energy to produce fountains of energized water if played around the rim with water inside.  

This is quite a large bowl but its finely hammered walls make it relatively light for its size, and therefore comfortable for hand-held playing.

It’s reasonable to assume that oddly-shaped bowls were made to fulfill a particular function over and above the sonic one…such as divination or the preparation of herbal remedies.  I believe this bowl was designed to hold holy water for anointing during special pujas.  This bowl’s ability to produce energized water might be relevant in this context. 

It is in excellent structural condition, and clean, with light patches of copper oxidization, and an attractive golden bronze colour.

A complementary Tibetan silk brocade bowl cushion and a ringer are included.