Silver From Burma: The Art of Traditional Burmese Silver
The diversity of crafts in India is remarkable. Trade, workshops, foreign influences, migration and cultural exchange have shaped traditional craftsmanship in countless ways. Among these fascinating traditions is Burmese silver — known for its intricate carving, elaborate designs and rich cultural symbolism.
While researching Indian colonial silver, Burmese silver stands out as a much sought-after craft, particularly during the colonial period. Its workmanship is exceptionally fine, with motifs inspired by Burmese culture and intricate carvings that make every piece distinctive.
Burmese silver is extremely ornate, relying heavily on motifs, symbols, carving and embossing. Its detailed craftsmanship is reminiscent of Swami work popular in South India, which features figures from the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses.
In Delight in Design – Indian Silver for the Raj, Vidya Dehejia dedicates a chapter to Burmese silver during the colonial period, titled “Burmese Silver: The Jataka.” The chapter traces the production of silver in Burma and its value in the market.
A Legacy of Exceptional Craftsmanship
Burmese silverware received recognition at international exhibitions. At the 1903 Delhi Durbar Exhibition, a Burmese table centrepiece received the single First Prize with a Gold Medal, while a Burmese bowl received one of three First Prizes with a Silver Medal. Burmese silver also fetched some of the highest prices in the 1903 Delhi market.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Burmese silver is the three-dimensional relief work achieved on silver sheets. The repousse technique involves shaping and raising designs by hammering the silver from the reverse side.
The traditional process involves melting silver into a clay saucer and repeatedly hammering and reheating it until it reaches the required shape. The design is drawn onto the silver by a master artist or an advanced pupil. A resinous mixture is then used to support the silver while the decorative details are punched and shaped. For the finest pieces, the silver may be beaten and reheated as many as sixteen times. The final process is burnishing.
This painstaking process creates the detailed, sculptural quality that makes Burmese silver so distinctive.
The Artistry of Burmese Silver
1. Candle Stand with Three Holders
Weight: 2030 grams
Height: 18.2 inches
Width: 10 inches
Length: 13.2 inches
Typical Burmese figures featuring amazing carving, with two dancing ladies holding three candle stands together.
2. Big Bowl
Weight: 3070 grams
Diameter: 13 inches
Ganesha is Vighneshvara, the Lord of Obstacles, both of a material and spiritual order. He is popularly worshipped as a remover of obstacles, though traditionally he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. Hence, he is often worshipped by people before they begin anything new.
The influence of Lord Ganesh and iconographic elements from his tales has inspired this planter bowl design.
3. Bowl with Lion Stand
Weight: 3390 grams
Height: 13.3 inches
Width: 15 inches
Outside Diameter: 10 inches
Inside Diameter: 8 inches
A dramatic stand designed to hold a bowl. It is made of carved fine silver decorated with moulded work. It comprises a flat top on which a bowl can sit. The bowl is surrounded by lotus petals so that the top has the appearance of an opened lotus flower.
4. Pot on Figure Stand
Weight: 2440 grams
Height: 16.5 inches
Width: 8 inches
Length: 9.5 inches
Mouth Diameter: 4.5 inches
Base Diameter: 7.2 inches
An amalgamation of two figures. A Burmese man and woman personify various favourable virtues from Burmese antiquity, brought forward in a distinctly modern form.
5. Elephant Design Mug
Weight: 450 grams
Height: 4.5 inches
Base Diameter: 4.5 inches
Top Diameter: 3 inches
These traditional silver mugs are made specifically to suit contemporary homes. The high-quality handcraft reveals an elephant bathing scene, while the handle’s vibrant elephant sculpture evokes symbolism of good luck and strength.
6. Big Wall Frame
Weight: 2450 grams
Length: 24 inches
Height: 19 inches
Dance of Divine Love: The Rasa Lila of Krishna
The Rasa Lila of Krishna is hand-carved on pure silver. The Rasa Lila takes place one night when the Gopis of Vrindavana, upon hearing the sound of Krishna’s flute, sneak away from their households and families to the forest to dance with Krishna throughout the night.
In the Krishna Bhakti traditions, the Rasa Lila is considered one of the highest and most esoteric of Krishna’s pastimes.
7. Fruit Bowl Big
Weight: 3765 grams
Height: 6.5 inches
Diameter: 15.5 inches
Base Diameter: 11 inches
A piece of tradition for the modern you. This bowl is a sublime example of exceptional mastery of form and composition, along with the rare ability to imbue human faces with the suggestion of personality and emotion.
8. Dessert Cup
Weight: 195 grams
Height: 5 inches
Diameter: 4.2 inches
Base Diameter: 3 inches
Another piece of mesmerising craftsmanship, this dessert cup or glass features an astonishing handcrafted design of deer and family on the top and a wildlife design on the base.
9. Champagne Bucket
Weight: 1941 grams
Height: 15.5 inches
Top Diameter: 10.25 inches
When you buy this handcrafted silver champagne bucket, you do not just buy a silver article. You experience a one-in-a-lifetime remarkable product of fine handcrafted silver, designed to suit your opulent space.
10. Big Box with Elephant Legs
Weight: 3831 grams
Height: 9.8 inches
Width: 10.5 inches
Length: 13 inches
The elephant dry fruit box is an elegant centrepiece, stunning enough to impress your guests. Add a difference to your dinner table or intimate tea parties. Use it to serve desserts or fill it with fresh flowers.
The People and Craft Behind PATAIN
Burmese silver continues to be made through the work of skilled craftsmen and workshops. The traditional process often involved commissioned pieces, with customers providing the silver to craftsmen who created and delivered the finished work.
During her research into Burmese silver, the writer came across PATAIN Silver and its outstanding pieces of Burmese silver. PATAIN Silver is run by the husband-and-wife team of Lokesh and Tasneem Goenka.
“Patain” means “silversmith” in Burmese.
Lokesh looks after the business, including selling, order placement and logistics, while designing, research and working with craftsmen are Tasneem’s areas of focus. Her training as a fashion designer helps her explore new designs and bring new dimensions to the craftsmen’s repertoire.
The Journey Behind PATAIN Silver
Lokesh and Tasneem started their silver business in 2017. Their family originally comes from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and they had always owned silver articles handcrafted there.
Around 2017, during a visit to Myanmar, Tasneem became interested in evolving the silver handicraft industry and building an exclusive luxury handcrafted silver business.
The couple travelled to the Shan Hills and Inle Lake areas in search of silver craftsmen. They visited workshops and studios specialising in silver. Their initial journey involved exploring the existing market and meeting craftsmen who could collaborate on new designs.
Tasneem had a background in textiles and previously owned a fashion label. Her interest in design, combined with the family's connection to Burmese silver, inspired her to work closely with silversmiths and bring their craftsmanship to India.
Why Burmese Silver?
India has many talented silver artisans, but Lokesh explains that the couple wanted to find exclusive products and designs that were not commonly available in the Indian market.
The repousse and chasing techniques are specialities of Burmese silversmiths. Their three-dimensional craftsmanship and the stories behind the designs are among the qualities that make these pieces distinctive.
Tasneem explains that the name PATAIN reflects the craft itself. Initially, the business involved sourcing pieces available off the shelf in Burmese markets, including boxes, bowls, betel boxes, cups and vases.
Over time, the focus shifted towards finding craftsmen who were willing to collaborate and create exclusive designs.
Working with Burmese Craftsmen
Working with craftsmen in Burma has its challenges. Language has been a significant barrier, making it difficult to communicate designs and ideas. Earlier, Lokesh's fluency in Burmese made communication easier. Today, interpreters are often required.
Travel restrictions during COVID also affected logistics. Despite these difficulties, the couple gradually built relationships with craftsmen who understood their design approach and could work with Tasneem's ideas.
For them, seeing the finished work and happy clients makes the effort worthwhile.
The Repousse Technique and the Design Process
The carving and three-dimensional work created using the repousse technique is a hallmark of Burmese silver craftsmanship.
The bowl or box is filled with wax, and the design is hammered onto the silver sheets. The silver sheet needs to be thick because thinner sheets can develop holes when the work is carried out from the back.
The craftsmen are familiar with traditional stories and motifs. The Jataka tales, including the Syama Jataka, form an important part of their repertoire. War scenes and battles are also traditional themes.
The designs were gradually adapted to include themes more representative of Indian culture. Stories from Hindu mythology, including Ganesha, Ramayana and Goddess Lakshmi, were incorporated.
Tasneem researches and sketches the stories before sending them to the craftsmen. The craftsmen then interpret the designs and create them on the silver pieces.
The designs have also been adapted for contemporary products such as cake stands, platters, candelabras, teapots, coffee sets, glasses, decorative items and mirror frames.
The craftsmen also create intricate borders using floral patterns and scroll-like details. The existing repertoire of motifs includes mythical stories and auspicious symbols.
A Vision for the Future
Tasneem continues to research Burmese silverware through museums and catalogues. She hopes to understand the craft more deeply and preserve its legacy.
The aim from the beginning was to create silverware that customers would love owning and would want to pass on to their children and grandchildren.
Rather than producing large quantities of the same design, PATAIN focuses on exclusive pieces. Most pieces are one of a kind, or made in only one or two examples. The idea is to offer something new each time a customer visits.
The brand also creates customised pieces for clients. The focus is on preserving the craftsmanship, making silver pieces that can be treasured within families, and encouraging more people — especially younger generations — to appreciate and continue the art of silversmithing.
