Vietnamese (French Cochinchina) Four Piece Solid Silver Tea Set, 19th century
Vietnamese (French Cochinchina) Four Piece Solid Silver Tea Set, 19th century
£6,750.00
Description
Vietnamese (French Cochinchina) Four Piece Solid Silver Tea Set, 19th century
This beautiful Vietnamese tea set, inscribed on the tray with L.D., is estimated to have been part of the Lieutenant Governor of French Cochinchina’s collection. This appears to coincide with Alexandre Antoine Etienne Gustve Ducos’ (1851-1907) time in the post. Ducos was Lieutenant Governor twice, first in 18th of July 1895 to 22nd of March 1896 and 19th of November 1896 to 9th of May 1897.
1 2 ‘L’ indicates ‘Lieutenant’ while ‘D’ is estimated to refer to ‘Ducos’.
This solid silver set consists of four pieces; a tea pot, milk jug, sugar bowl and tray. Multiple representations of Buddhist figures and imagery decorate the objects, surrounded by intricate patterns and floral motifs. Buddhist art is characterised by elaborate combinations of divinities, creatures and objects, the complex tapestry of Buddhist legend and wisdom often encompassed in one artwork.
3 The figures represented on the tea set include bodhisattvas (enlightened beings. This term was often used in reference to the Buddha himself prior to when he achieved enlightenment. ‘Sattva’ means being intent on achieving while ‘Bodhi’ translates as enlightenment).
4 The multiple armed bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, known in Vietnam as Quán The Âm or Quan Âm, is one of the figures represented along the border of the tray. Initially always a male figure, in many cultures Avalokiteśvara was later also represented as female. Quán Âm is the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, known to appear after recitation to anyone in distress. Representations of Avalokiteśvara are known to have two, four, six, eight, eighteen or more arms.
5 Avalokiteśvara was one of the most popular represented figures, typically portrayed with multiple limbs, wearing a headdress
6 and sitting on a lotus flower. This is how Quán Âm is shown on the border of this tray, surrounded by a floral shape. This bodhisattva is one of four figures represented on the border of the tray.
Other comparable figures are depicted on the tray, tea pot and milk jug. The sugar bowl is
decorated with elaborate patterns inspired by flora, but does not include humans, animals or supernatural creatures. Incised on the flat surface of the tray is a depiction of a bodhisattva riding
6 Robert E. Buswell Jr, ed.by, Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Volume One A-L, (New York, NY: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004) p. 61.
5 Tan Pham, Volume 3b of A Traveller’s Story of Vietnam’s Past, From the 10th to the 13th Centuries, Dai Viet and Champa: Panduranga, Kauthara, and Indrapura (New Zealand: 315Kio Publishing, 2024), p. 85. 4 Robert E. Buswell Jr & Donald S. Lopez Jr, The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhisim, “Bodhisattva”,
3 Robert E. Fischer, Buddhist Art and Architecture, (London: Thames & Hudson, 1993), p.11. 2 ‘Vietnam’, World Statesman, [accessed 28 May 2025]
1 ‘List of administrators of the French colony of Cochinchina’, Wikipedia, [accessed 28 May 2025]
The milk jug is similarly decorated with incised figures of Buddah, divinities, demons and
attendants. Buddha is depicted in a serene pose, surrounded by swirling shapes with his hands resting atop his crossed legs. The position, closed eyes and hand gesture of Buddah on the jug correlates with Dhyana Mudra, a meditative pose.14 This pose and hand gesture is emblematic of a state of concentration, representing Prince Siddahartha’s final meditation before enlightenment as the Buddah.15
The spout of the teapot features the head of a serpent known as Nāga in Sanscrit and Pāli. These creatures inhabit underwater kingdoms and the roots of monumental trees, often with the intention to protect treasure. They are said to be under the command of Virupaksa, the god of the west and they guard the Traystrimsa Heaven. There are times when they appear in the audience
15 ‘Dhyana Mudra’, Map Academy,
14 Ramesh Rohit, ‘An Analytical Study of Buddhist Art and Jain Art’, Dhammacakka, Journal of Buddhism and Applied Buddhism, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 49-55, (p.54).
13 E, Hultzsch, ‘Jatakas at Bharaut’, The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, (1916) pp. 399-410 (p. 409).
12 Stache-Rosen, p. 5.
11 James W. Boyd, ‘Symbols of Evil in Buddhism’, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 31, No. 1 (1971) pp. 63-75 (p.63.)
10 Valentina Stache-Rosen, ‘The Temptation of the Buddha, Preliminary Comparision of some Chinese versions of an episode in the life of the Buddha’, Bulletin of Tibetology, Vol. 12, No. 1, (February 1975) pp.5 - 19. (p. 5.).
9 Buswell Jr & Lopez Jr, “Kanthaka” <
https://giaolykalama.com/library/English/The%20Princeton%20dictionary%20of%20Buddhism%20(Lopez).pdf > [accessed 9th June 2025].
8 Buswell Jr & Lopez Jr, “Gautama”
7 Buswell Jr & Lopez Jr, “Siddhartha”
16 This remarkable tea set, in addition to being expertly crafted and aesthetically beautiful, is a fascinating conveyance of Buddhist doctrine, myth and legend. The imagery, with knowledge of the iconography, could be read as a story, with each figure, detail and creature being emblematic of the extraordinary tales of the Buddah’s life and journey prior to enlightenment. In addition to it being an element of Vietnamese religious history, it also is a testament, with its inclusion in the collection of the Lieutenant General of Cochinchina, to the imprint of European colonialism and interest in Asian and Buddhist culture.
Measurements:
Width: 51cm
Depth: 27.5cm
Height: 25cm
Weight: 3,761 grams
| item details | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Asian |
| Condition | Excellent |
Product REF: 10105
