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Antique Burmese Wooden Nat Sculpture - 19th Century 51cm
€750Bid from €375
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Private sellerProduct description
Large Antique Burmese Wooden Nat Sculpture - "Little Princess" - Mandalay Style - 51 cm / 6.7 kg
Offered is a beautiful and very monumental antique wooden Burmese Nat sculpture (guardian spirit) from Myanmar (Burma), dating from the late 19th to early 20th century (Mandalay period).
- This refined sculpture depicts သမီးတော်မလေး (Thameedaw Malei), which translates from Burmese as "Little Royal Daughter" or "Little Princess".
- The name of this specific spiritual guardian spirit is hand-engraved/carved on the original gold-and-red cartouche on the front of the plinth. Such explicit naming is rare and makes the object highly sought after by collectors of Asian art.
- Craftsmanship & Materials:
The sculpture is masterfully hand-carved from a single solid piece of high-quality Burmese teak. Its impressive weight of no less than 6.7 kilograms testifies to the enormous density and quality of the hardwood used.
The sculpture is traditionally finished with a black lacquer base, after which it is richly gilded with authentic gold leaf. The clothing edges and the hair bun are subtly decorated with inlaid mirror glass (thayo relief work).
- Unique details:
The face is of exceptionally high artistic quality. The almond-shaped eyes are not simply painted, but feature inlaid white porcelain/glass, giving the sculpture a serene and lively gaze. Note the extremely rare and fine details, such as the eyelash hairs applied with a razor-thin brush on the eyelids.
- Condition:
The sculpture is in a beautiful, authentic antique condition with a wonderfully aged patina. The wear on the gold leaf – through which the black lacquer layer naturally shines through at the touch points – testifies to decades of devotional use. The underside shows a natural, stable shrinkage crack in the dry hardwood, which underlines the object's age and authenticity. Felt pads were placed under the base in the past to protect furniture.
Specifications:
• Origin: Myanmar (Burma)
• Period: Late 19th century / early 20th century (Mandalay style)
• Depiction: Nat sculpture "Thameedaw Malei" (Little Royal Daughter)
• Material: Solid teak wood, black lacquer, gold leaf and glass inlay
• Height: 51 cm
• Weight: 6.7 kg (6700 grams)
A masterpiece for the serious collector of early Burmese Buddhist and animist art. The object will, of course, be extremely carefully and professionally packaged and shipped insured.
Specifications
CategorySculptureConditionGoodColorsGoldMaterialWoodNumber of items1Height51 cmWidth28 cmDepth26 cmSeller locationHoogeveen, NetherlandsDelivery optionsDelivery or pickup
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About this seller
Private sellerHoogeveen, NetherlandsOn Whoppah since April 2026 • 0 sales