ANTIQUE BUDDHIST MONK MONASTERY WOOD CHEST OLD BURMA (03/17/2011)...

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ANTIQUE BUDDHIST MONK MONASTERY WOOD CHEST OLD BURMA NR

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ANTIQUE BUDDHIST MONK MONASTERY WOOD CHEST OLD BURMA NR

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Sold Date: 03/17/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Ethnic, Folk & Native American Art

NO RESERVE...................SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM IS TO THE U.S.A. , LOWER 48 STATES ONLY ..................................................Estate Sale Item.........................................This auction is for a very old , Antique , Monk's Monastery Chest , from Burma . This was purchased , and shipped back , by a lady in the late 1980s , from Mandalay , Burma . It’s a large Chest (trunk size) , very ornate , with Gesso like figures and design , on the exterior front , that is painted gold . She had a card with notes , in the chest , along with other non pertinent items , that describe the Chest as being older that a 100 years , and that the figural design on the front , tells some type of story , concerning when Mandalay was the capital city of Burma .
To give you an idea about the front panel , it would be a bit similar to Egyptian temple paintings , with Hieroglyphics , that tell a story , except all the figures on this chest are raised , and made of something similar to a Gesso material . It looks like there is the figure of a worshiping monk , on each end of the chest . The front of the chest has many things going on in different areas . There are Buddha figures , one being the Reclining Buddha . There are horses , monks , temples , pagodas , and some things I don't recognize .
The Chest is large , measuring approx. 30 in. long , 16 in. wide , and about 16 in. tall . if you look at the photo that shows the Chest backside , with a soup can sitting on the top , you can see an old tin patch , on the upper left back corner of the chest . Don't know exactly what's under the tin patch , but I know tin was often used on areas where mice would gnaw thru wood , to get at something edible . These old Chests were used to store all of a monks possessions , and there could have been something edible kept inside , like rice or bread .
The Chest is pretty much all original , except someone has put modern hinges on the top . I would personally replace these hinges with some old aged , antique hinges . Actually the original hinges would have been made of a crude metal , usually bent into eye hook shapes , and interlocked . I have been to Burma a few times , so I have seen some of the original hinge devices . There’s a narrow wood lip on the bottom edge of the top , that overlaps the chest itself , when the top is shut . The end pieces of this lip on the top , look to be replaced pieces of wood , as they do not match the front lip . This does not show , as the lip area is under the edge of the top .
These old Chest traveled many miles over the years , as the monk move from one monastery to another , so they are always worn from years of travel . When a monk dies , the Chest is usually passed on , and continues on a new journey . I think part of the beauty of these old Chest , are all the age marks , they accumulate over the years . They are well made , so they usually always hold up structurally over all the years and travel . There are some age cracks , nicks , chips , general everyday wear , and ect. on the Gesso design , but most all is intact and secure . There would have once been some type of little side compartment inside , on the top area of one end , to hold small valuable items . That compartment is no longer with the chest, and is gone . There also would have been some type of crude lock on the chest , but that too is gone with the years .
It’s an extremely old , so it has lots of nicks , chips , scratches , ect , but it’s still very handsome , great old piece , that could be used for many different things . NOTE ... this is too large , and heavy to ship to some far off locations , because of the expense involved . SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM IS TO THE U.S.A. , LOWER 48 STATES ONLY , VIA UPS GROUND.
The maximum shipping cost , ( 49 lbs , 34x19x19 , UPS GROUND ONLY ) , will be approx. $80.00 , (West Coast to East Coast) , which is INSURED UPS SHIPPING . Depending how close you are to Los Angeles , the shipping could be less . Please look at all my photos closely , and please , ask...