Page 121 - South East Asian Art, December 4th 2020 Galerie Zacke Galerie Zacke

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A RARe ANd eXcePTIONAl Pyu ROcK cRysTAl TAlIsMAN
dePIcTINg A MyThIcAl WAR elePhANT
Pyu city-states, 2nd-10th century. The translucent stone of good clarity with
natural inclusions, finely carved and neatly incised as a mythical war elephant
with wings, its large trunk and tusks contributing to its ferocious appearance.
Pierced through the elephant’s trunk and behind allowing for suspension as a
pendant.
This piece was personally examined by Burmese American archaeologist and
gemologist Terence Tan, a leading expert in Pyu art and Burmese gemstones,
and Hungarian gemologist Dr. József Takács. Their analysis finds that the stone
is a rock crystal and the talisman is original, ancient, cut by hand with carving,
chiseling, boring and grinding. The color is original and natural. The stone has
been cleaned by hand using organic oil and its surface is smooth and polished.
There are sandy deposits in the recesses of the stone. The marks of authentic
ancient craftsmanship and use of primitive tools are clearly visible. The holes are
ancient, handmade, irregular, funnel-shaped, executed from both sides using
iron needles. A certificate signed by Dr. Zelnik attesting to the above will be
handed to the winning bidder upon request.
Provenance: Ex-Collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum.
Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above.
condition: Very good condition with minor traces of age and wear.
Weight: 83.1 g
Dimensions: Length 8.1 cm
estimate euR 6,000
Starting price EUr 3,000

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