February 22, 2024
ORGINAL ANTIQUE OPIUM WEIGHT 3 DUCK SHAPE SET /7
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Item ID : OPW-DSET3-7 Title : BURMA-LAO-THAILAND OPIUM WEIGHT DUCK (HAMZA BIRD) SHAPE SET OF 3 Date : AD 19th Century - early 20th Century Material : Bronze (copper, tin, zinc) Condition : Very fine condition, no scratch, no rust Description : 1 set of 3 Duck (Hamza Bird) shape opium weight: 162, 79, 31 g. The mountain tribes of the Golden Triangle (Burma,Lao and Thailand) used these small animal-figure weights to weight opium when the opium trade was flourishing in the area around the 18-19th century, although they were made actually for everyday use, including all sort of commercial. It is not exactly known when this sort of weight originated but some archaeological excavation documentation mentioned a finding of duck shape and lion shape sculptures dating back to 100-400 A.D. in Central Burma. It is hard to tell the age of each opium weight, but it can be estimated by the consistancy of the alloy it made of. Up until last half of 19th century, they were made of bronze while the older ones ,made in 16th/17th century, contained more copper and thus are more reddish color. During late 17th and 18th century, tin was most prevalent and giving more silvery hue. Most after that they were cast from alloy with solf yellow of bronze. In the late 19th/20th century the material was majorly brass. ** Modern reproductions are plenty
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