Bronze Temple Bell with Ebony Stand, Bali, c. 1950-1970

A bronze temple bell from Bali, likely dating between 1950 and 1970, mounted in a hand-carved stand of solid ebony. The bell bears a relief of a Naga, the Asian dragon that figures in Balinese culture as a protector of earth and water. The undulating lower rim is characteristic of this type of export bell from the mid-twentieth century. The piece is in good vintage condition with signs of use appropriate to its age.

The stand is carved on all sides with stylised figures and ornamental detail, making the object presentable from every angle. Export pieces of this kind were produced in the 1950s and 1960s for a Western market drawn to Asian ritual forms, but the quality of the carving and the care of the execution set this example apart from the average souvenir piece. Bronze and ebony are both materials with their own character, and together they give this object a weight, literally and figuratively, that is hard to ignore.