Description A CHAM GEMSTONE-SET GOLD REPOUSSé AND SILVER HAIR COMB WITH A RECUMBENT ELEPHANT
Champa, 16th-19th century. The finely worked repoussé gold top element depicting a recumbent elephant and set with an oval gemstone, the decorative comb crafted from silver. Not only is the elephant the mount of the Hindu god Indra – elephant heads were also a very common architectural ornament in Cham architecture and consequently a beloved design motif in Cham jewelry.
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: 38.8 g
Dimensions: Size 6 x 6.5 cm
Alloy composition range: Gold 64-72 %, Silver 24-28 %, Copper 2-4 %.
Published: Art of Champa, Arts of Southeast Asia, page 67, Issue 4, 2020.