Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (336)

South Asia, India, ca. 18th-19th century.

A solid cast bronze alloy figure depicting Krishna the "Butter Thief" as a youth holding a ball of butter that he stole from his stepmother. Baby Krishna or Bala Krishna is crawling with a ball of butter in his right hand. As mischievous children/babies, Krishna and his older brother Balarama stole jars of butter and yogurt from their families and neighbors.

Size: 63 mm. tall. - weighing c...

A fine lot of 4 choice bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 10 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with different forms of bases and spikes etc. and with clear 6-ray verification marks...

An pair of scarce 2 tical bronze Toe beast Opium weights, Burma, c. 18th. cent.

One with a beautiful glossy excarvated enamel patina and the other finely preserved, featuring different tails and details as well as a square and a octagonal base. Both with verifications marks of 9-rays below the bases.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the octagonal base is the oldest, but we're not certain, both types might be significantly older than Gear and others state...

A fine lot of two large Hamsa birds, Shan Empire and Arakan, Burma around 1780-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases, different styles of heads/beaks and both V-tails. One is probably early Arakan style and lower weight-standard.

Weight: c. 265 grams & 310 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: F-VF, The burma very good condition, the Arakan Near VF, typical high amount of wear for the Arakan types...

A fine lot of two large Hamsa birds, Shan Empire, Burma around 1780-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases, different styles of heads/beaks and both V'tails.

Weight: c. 310 & 315 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: Nice VF, brown and green patinas.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c...

A fine lot of two large Hamsas, later Shan, but still Burma around 1800-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases. Clear 6-ray verification marks on both. Both V'tails.

Weight: c. 318 & 319 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: Nice VF, brownish patina

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c...

A pair of large and impressive bronze opium weights of 20 Tical, square bases, c. 1780.

Nice specimens with great patinas! Different tail types and perhaps issued with 20-30 years apart, but both later 18th. century.

Weight: Both weighs are close to 300 grams = 20 Tical

Condition: F-VF, moderate wear and fine patinas

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c...

A large and finely patinated bronze opium weight of the 20 Tical, square base, c. 1750-1780.

Sharp 9-ray verification / currency mark. Beautiful green patina and a super attractive specimen!

Weight: c. 310 grams = 20 Tical

Condition: Good very fine!

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from German British and Danish dealers...

A set of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 5 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with varieties of spikes and other features, all standing on elongated hexagonal bases. 6-ray or bird verification marks.

Weight: c. 79,5-80,6 grams = 5 tical.

Condition: VF-EF, Very nice surfaces and metal for types.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c...

A set of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 5 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with varieties of spikes and other features, all standing on elongated hexagonal bases...

A nice group of only 2 tical currency weights in Burma & Shan Empire from c. 1750-1850.

The group consists of different varieties in spikes and other features, weighing: 31,22 grams, 31,59 grams, 31 grams, 31,45 grams.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from German, British and Danish dealers. Comes with COA and provenance.

Nice different specimens of the old Karaweik bird type 5 tical bronze opium weight, Burma (from Ava, Rangoon, Amarapura), 18th. century.

All on octagonal base, with three neck-ridges and spikes, with different varieties of backcovers etc.

Weight: 73-81 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: Nice Very Fine with rich brown patinas

Refference: Gear Group 2/3. Mikkelsen p.137, figure 75.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private col...

A pair of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 10 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsa with 1 spikes, both standing on symethric hexagonal bases. One with V-tail and the other with U-tail. Clear verification marks of a bird and a 6-rayed star.

Weight: 161,5 & 162 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: Near EF, choice brown and light tinned bronze surfaces.

Rarity: Common but very nice specimens.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

...

Nice different specimens of the old Karaweik bird type 10 tical bronze opium weight, Burma (from Ava, Rangoon, Amarapura), 18th. century.

Both on octagonal base, with three neck-ridges and spikes, with different varieties of backcovers.

Weight: 152 & 156 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: F-VF, rich brown patinas

Refference: Gear Group 2/3. Mikkelsen p.137, figure 75.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of ...

Interesting set of two bronze weights including a scarce Arakan weight and another probably Burmese Shan, both early weights for the types probably dating late 18th. century.

The Arakan weight typically crude manifacturing and only 254 grams, the other weight weighs c. 315 grams.

Both with much patina and attractive!

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector fr...

A choice bronze 10 tical opium Toe weight, Burmese ca. 1750-80 AD.

This Toe has the elavated horselike tail with three spikes, and standing on an octagonal and finely stepped base.

Reff: Leif B. Mikkelsen 'Opium Weights', p.132, fig. 70.

Weight: 162 grams = 10 Tical.

Rarity: Common.

Condition: Choice Very Fine. Nice silverish brown patina - another gem from the Abrahamsen Collection.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, import...

A well-preserved lot of 3 bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 5 tical, Late Shan Empire, early 1800s.

The birds are all different variants of Hamsas or Hinthas with V and U-tails, and one or more spikes, standing on a hexagonal bases.

Weights: 81,7 gr., 76,29 gr., 81,5 gr.


Condition: Nice VF with brown patinas!

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights...

Interesting and large size of bronze bird weight of 20 Tical with finely decorated base, Late Shan States, 19th. century.

Very high quality execution even for the type with huge head spikes, and depicting the Siwazu bird, standing on a fancy elongated hexagonal base.

Weight: 326 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: Choice Extremely fine, beautiful surfaces and patina

Reff. Bering Mikkelsen, p. 148, figure 95.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, ...