Superb Small Antique Manipuri Singing Bowl with Suns & Gashes – F4

This is a superb example of a small to medium size early 19th century Manipuri Singing Bowl with a good voice and lots of interesting features.

It is beautifully proportioned with a slightly flared rim and a wide lip decorated with a ring of suns (punched dots within circles).  The outer wall encircled by a random series of ritual or magical gashes which I believe to be associated with the bowl’s initiation.  Another decorative band of suns appear below the gashes.  The centre of the bowl features a faint flower of life but the circles that once surrounded it have been worn away with the passage of time.

The fundamental note is middle octave F4 (344Hz) when struck or played around the rim with a wooden ringer, but other harmonics are also present including a fifth octave B5 (972Hz).    It is a responsive bowl and easy to play.

This is a particularly attractive bowl with satin-smooth walls from long use.  It is in excellent structural condition, clean, stain-free, with a bright shiny golden bronze colour.

A small complementary ringer is included.