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  • Phoenixs This post has image ( China & Japan ) - shedrick - Mar 08, 2018 (10:26 PM)
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Subject:Phoenixs
Posted By: shedrick Thu, Mar 08, 2018 IP: 70.187.52.1

I have 2 phoenixes: silk and beads.Can you tell me who made them and period?

Thanks guys.





Subject:Re: Phoenixs
Posted By: Bill H Sat, Mar 10, 2018

This type of tapestry art used to come almost exclusively from Burma in various sizes. They are called "kalagas" and traditionally were made to be donated to Buddhist monasteries, where they were hung to illustrate the life and teachings of the Sakyamuni Buddha. They took off as curiosities with American and other military personnel assigned to and visiting Thailand during the Vietnam War years, driving prices into the thousands for allegedly old ones. However, the fad has waned considerably over the years, and the price for good ones has sunk into the hundreds or less with knock-offs coming out of India and many hill-tribe villages between there and Chiang Mai, the handicraft and repro center in Northern Thailand.

The phoenix is not a Buddhist icon, as far as I know, so I suspect that your examples of these tapestries may be recent Thai or Indian works. Here's a photo of a nicely framed one in fairly good shape made in Burma circa the early 20th century and now in a friend's collection. It's about 5 feet wide and 3.5 feet high.

Best regards,

Bill H.



Subject:Re: Phoenixs
Posted By: shedrick Mon, Mar 12, 2018

thank you so much Bill H.


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