Heavy Metal! Big Temple Bowl, Sri-Lankan? Trying to identify Ornamentation.
 

Picked this one up some time ago. Showed it to a chap who'se an expert on bell-bowls/rins/singing bowls and he thinks it was probobly put on a laquered stand with sand in it for insence sticks.
It's huge, you can stick your head in it and it weighs about 4.4kg 26cm across.
I think the style of ornamentation is from Ceylon/Sri-lanka wondered if anyone recognises the imagery (especially the monstrous mask spewing flame or wahtever it is) and can enlighten me?

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...Bronze/004.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ronze/0042.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...Bronze/002.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...Bronze/028.jpg

Not exactly an ethnographic weapon, now is it?
Of course, it would probably hurt if you got beaned with it... :)

Emergency Helmet ???? ;)

Oh, I would take a wild guess that it is the face of a makara........

Yes nothing like getting beaned by a makara... :D

Congratulations on being only the second guy in Forum history to post a bowl in this particular forum .

Guess who was the first ? :o ;) :D




Yep ! :p
Even posted a vase once . :D

LOL, Thanks Rick.
Would it be pushing to ask you to llinky or shove some pics in here?
I kinda like ethnic bowls and vases!!

And everyone... I will take the hint!!
Last ethnic bronzes thread for a while! ;-)

Thats interesting thanks! I've had a quick look, glory face etc???
Thanks Battara

Hi Rick. Lovely find, I've wanted one of these for ages.
It seems to be a big bell bowl (Gong bowl/singing bowl/Rin).
I'm not sure if its Chinese or Japanese, I assume Chinese, but the Japanese liking for chinese characters and designs on bronzework confuses the hell out of me (Japanese Bronze mirrors are often totally chinese in design and have long chinese inscriptions)
I was offered a similar one to yours recently as Chinese, but it had a split (and that affects the sound).
The bronze of the bowl should be quite thin and hand beaten. The rounded bottom is usual. You should buy it a cheap cushion off of ebay (donut shaped, or just round) to sit on, and play it with a large wooden stick by rubbing not banging the top of the outside, suede covered sticks of this size are often preferred but I feel that as its a buddhist item, plain wood is more in keeping.
Here's a video of Craig (the chap who helped me with my bowl, and I gave him a right laugh playing it with a rolling pin!! any big bowl can 'sing'). He's 'the man' when it comes to these things.

With very little practice you'll get a good constant sound out of it and you'll see how the rounded bottom is essential for the resonance. Any cracks or flaws with be audible as buzzy underlying vibrations.

http://www.bonsaiinformation.com/BBC.htm

Hi, yes it's Chinese and some members thought it quite old .

A family piece since the very early 20th C.; I'm doubtful it's a repro .
Too much work involved to get that perfectly oscillating tone . :D

Yes, I think it has all the Makara attributes.
Josh