This is one of me after a good night out nursing a massive hangover.
... and of me having problems with my computer.
More seriously, can you tell me where these carvings come from?
On my travels through life I love to collect things along the way, things that remind me of my experiences and of the special qualities of the place.
This often means buying attractive artefacts and handicrafts, though it's increasingly dificult to find something that's old but not just made for tourists. Anything that's more than a few decades old usually comes with a high price because the locals know its worth.
Strangely some of the nicest ethnic antiques that I've found have surfaced not in their place of origin but in Europe. As a result they weren't so expensive as nobody knows what they are or where they come from.
In an antique shop in Topsham, Devon I bought a delightful pair of wooden carvings of a husband and wife in traditional dress, at a broccante in Auray in Brittany a baleful red mask and at a car boot sale in Taunton, Somerset a fine tribal mask.
All are old, all are of good quality and none of them is mass produced for tourists as far as I can tell. My problem is I don't know exactly what they are or where they came from.
Of course I do have some idea, but can you please add a Comment telling me their origins. Someone out there knows or can suggest where I could send the images to have them appraised.
They are all beautiful things but they would mean much more to me if I knew exactly what they are.
They might even be worth something!
Andrew Hicks The "Thai Girl" Blog July 2009
11 comments:
That looks like an Australian 50 cent piece in the last photo.
I'm guessing...Bali? or something that has to do with Hindus.
Looking at the costumes and headwear, the couple must be Javanese.
The second and the third carving are from Java, Indonesia. The mask represents the face of “Buto” (the giant in the Javanese traditional folks). The wooden carving of husband and wife in traditional dress is called “loro blonyo”. In Javanese language “loro” means couple and “blonyo” means to be made over through bathing and making up. This statue is adopted from a bridal couple owned by Yogyakarta Kingdom.
I disagree. I think its a British 50 pence piece.
Yes indeed, it is a British fifty pence piece... included to indicate the size of the carvings.
Thanks for all this great advice. Yes, I too thought them to be Javanese and, having been to Yogjakarta myself, that must be why they caught my eye.
The mask is very similar to ones in the British Museum from the collection of Sir Stamford Raffles, while the figures are just so very 'Yogya'! Thanks so much for such detailed info which I must now follow up with Google searches when I have a moment.
But what about the hangover mask which must of course be African. I suspect Malawi or that region though I don't know why.
How can I find out???!
Andrew Hicks
Hi Andrew,
I think the African mask might be from the Congo area, the Chokwe people. In particular, it could represent Mwano-Pwo, a young woman who represents fertility. But I am not an expert like 'miss'.
Cheers,
Mike
All i can say is i like the pics....Thailand singles
loro blonyo wooden couple , coming from java; if you want information tape loro blonyo on google and you will find all the explication
take care most of the statue are fakes but still nice
Greetings all!
These crafts are simply nice, I mean, this kind of art catches my eye at first sight. Moreover, I think those masks are somehow mystic stuff.
Wow…I am bowled by your level of knowledge. I am so impressed. I think you have got a deep insight into this topic. Could not think on those lines ever…I think you are gifted…keep going. Thumbs up!
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