Published & Exhibited: The Zelnik Istvan Southeast Asian Gold Museum, Budapest, 2013, p. 134.

Expert opinion: Jean-François Hubert dates the gold drum between the 10^th and 12^th century based on its stylistic elements. He states that it is an authentic Cham piece made in Vietnam under a post-Dongsonian influence.

Scientific Analysis Report: The present lot was examined and tested by Dr. Peter Northover of BegbrokeNano Oxford Materials Characterization Service, senior research fellow at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford. In his report, Dr. Northover finds “[…] good evidence of age […]” and concludes that “[t]he body of the drum is ancient and authentic. […]” Furthermore, an electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) with wavelength dispersive spectrometry gave an alloy of 61.4% gold, 33.8% silver, and 4.7% copper. A copy of the report, signed by Dr. Peter Northover, No. R4654, dated 12 November 2013, accompanies this lot.

Vietnam, ancient kingdoms of Cham, ca. 10^th-12^th century. The gold repoussé finely hammered and skillfully applied with gold wire, the top decorated with a central star design symbolizing the sun, encircled by a meander band surmounted by four separately crafted frogs, well modeled in crouching poses, enclosed by the braided rim, above the hourglass body set with four loop handles and decorated with meander and spiral designs.

Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. An important private collection, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe.
Condition: Remarkably well-preserved given its extremely fragile nature, its high age, and the high value of the material it is made from. Possibly the best preserved example of its kind in the world. Ancient wear, nicks, scratches, dents, losses, cracks, encrustations, the frogs with traces of ancient soldering.
Hungarian Export License: Mutargykisero igazolas, reference number MHO/53/12(2017), dated 26 June 2017, has been granted. A copy accompanies this lot.

Weight: 303 g
Dimensions: Height 22.1 cm

Little is known about gold rain drums, however a Karen myth mentions a gold drum when talking about the origin of the rain drums. Pu Maw Taw, a diligent farmer, tended his rice fields on a steep hill close to a cave every day, but his efforts to harvest were constantly hampered by the depredations of a band of monkeys who continually stole his grain. In despair, the old man wearily lied down and pretended to be dead. On finding him in a prone position, the monkeys clustered around him saying remorsefully, ”We have eaten his grain, now he is dead. Let us perform a proper funeral for him.” With that they carried his body to the mouth of the cave. Several monkeys then went to get their drums, which they were in the habit of using for funeral rites. Of the three drums they brought, one was of gold, one of silver, and the third white in appearance. As the monkeys were beating the drums, the farmer sat up and began to look around, scaring the monkeys who fled in terror and left their drums behind. Pu Maw Taw took their drums and they became the most sacred possessions of the Karen people, who subsequently worshiped them in an annual ceremony.

Jean-François Hubert is a leading authority and senior expert on Vietnamese art currently working as a senior consultant for Christie’s. He has curated exhibitions for the Musée Royal de Mariemont, Indonésie, Archipel des Dieux, and L'Ame du Vietnam. In addition, he authored several books including Arts de Vietnam (2002) and L’Art du Champa (2005).

Peter Northover is a metallurgist and senior research fellow at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford, and the Oxford Materials Characterization Service. He specializes in the characterization of metalwork from archaeological, cultural, and industrial heritage with extensive experience of over 30 years in the authentication of metal antiquities and antiques, and has authored several publications on ancient alloys.

Expert dossier: For a detailed commentary by Cham art expert Jean-François Hubert and Oxford University senior research fellow Peter Northover on the present lot, elaborating on Champa culture, gold in Southeast Asia, and the authentication of ancient metal artifacts, please request a PDF copy of this academic and scientific document from the department.

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