PROPERTY FROM THE NOBLE SILVER COLLECTION A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH CHARACTERS FROM THE VIDHURA-PANDITA JATAKALOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1915 An inscription on the underside of the base, translated: "Mr. Paw Sein's silver bowl". 7 1/2 in. (19 cm) high; 10 3/8 in. (26.5 cm) diameter; 51 troy oz (1,596 grams) approximate weight Punnaka's magical flying steed was a favored subject among Burmese silversmiths, and perhaps nowhere is he portrayed with more gusto than on the present offering bowl. The horse's pleasing, muscular form is hammered into high relief. With windswept mane, he leaps over swirling waters and mountains below. His hind leg and tail extending beyond the scalloped borders, the steed is not bound by his frame. This inspired depiction of Punnaka's horse is emblematic of the artistic freedom and ingenuity that silversmiths enjoyed in the later part of the Silver Age. Departing from a traditional narrative mode, the Vidhura-Pandita Jataka's cast of characters are presented in theatrical poses akin to non-literary renditions of the jatakas in painting and dramatic performances. Published: Owens, Burmese Silver Art , pp.83-4, n.S112, fig.3.68.