Group of 5 Antique Burmese Opium Weights, Hintha Bird Style, B5

Opium weight, Burma

Bronze opium weight, Burma.

Style: 
Classic Hintha Bird style. 6 sided rounded base.

Opium weights were used not only as units of opium measurement, but used in everyday transactions where items were traded by weight.

They were produced in a range of different designs, primarily based on animals or creatures from local religion/mythology.

They were produced in series from very small weights to much larger sizes.

Although the units of measurement do not correspond neatly to western scales of measurement, there is a proportional relationship, between the various sizes in a series.

Weight and dimensions:

This group consist of 5 weights of varying sizes as follows (one tical in weight is approximately 16g) :

1. 20 ticals. 320g. 6.3cm high, 4cm wide, 4cm deep.

2. 10 ticals. 156g. 5cm high, 3cm wide, 3cm deep.

3. 5 ticals: 80g. 4.3cm high, 2.5cm wide, 2.5cm deep.

4. 2 ticals. 32g. 3.3cm high, 1.2cm wide, 2cm deep.

5. 1 tical - 16g. 2.2cm high, 1.3cm wide, 1.6cm deep.

Date: 
18th/19th century.