Featured Can you identify the origin of this bronze vessel

I bought a couple of these pieces at auction where they were described as being from Peru. To me they look Asian/Japanese...thoughts? Also would this be from the 19th century? Thanks in advance

 

Gorgeous! I would have picked it up in a heartbeat.
It is from East Java, made in the style of Majapahit bronze (war) elephants and attendants. It is a copy of a vessel for holy water (Hindu).
The Majapahit period, 1293-ca 1500, was the heyday of East Javanese culture.
Yours was probably made in Gresik in the 20th century.

Ah yes, the little known Peruvian elephant.

 

Fine score Mustard,superb scholarship AJ-the Forum at it's best.

 

Well in a million years I would not have been able to put that all together! Thank you so much for the help. It really is an amazing piece. Heavy bronze. I will have to read up on it based on the info you posted. Thanks again for the valuable info. I got this little guy with it

 

At the top of the page is a bronze elephant in the Majapahit Museum in East Java, this one is original:
https://www.artofit.org/image-gallery/654921970796220733/kerajaan-majapahit-wilwatikta-majapahit/

I tried to find a bigger photo, but no result.

Another one:
https://www.alamy.com/water-contain...48f110ddc7ee7a7deb9aa5250c7c8648&searchtype=0

I know either Sotheby's or Christies sold an original one with attendants years ago, but I can't find a photo.

 

You're very lucky, even if it is a replica. Replicas fetch nice prices too, btw.

You'll be amazed when you read up on Majapahit, it was a 'thalassocracy', a maritime empire, that once ruled over much of island and coastal SE Asia. The influence of Majapahit culture can still be found in the culture of the countries in the region today.

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20...CRDduNkJuTE9rejJaRjFjVEV0ZyZ0PUFBQUFBR0xjUU5z

 

Exotically fascinating-the realm of Keris meteorite blades and Krakatoa ! Worthy of a fine novel ,700 yr old bronzes (these actual pieces perhaps repops ?). Bronze migrates from 4th millennium Eurasia & India to Java,whoa-what a story.

 

Yes, as I wrote above:

 

Couldn't go into this yesterday, but it is unlikely that there were meteorite keris blades during the Majapahit era. The keris type at the start of Majapahit was the rather squat keris buda, which had no pamor (damascene pattern). Towards the end of Majapahit the more slender and often wavy keris came into use, often with pamor, but probably no specific use of meteorite.
With the Prambanan meteorite, which fell ca 1740, meteorite became a coveted material for high kerises.
Meteorite kerises have only a small amount of meteorite in the pamor, as can be seen in this detail of one of my Madurese keris Naga, below. The meteorite presence is seen in the shiny silvery shading in the pamor on the right, and in the sparkling line in the base:

While all mountains are considered sacred, the Krakatoa or Krakatau was of no importance in Majapahit culture.
Java is a long stretch of land, almost a straight line from east to west. Majapahit is in East Java, Krakatau lies in the Sunda Strait between West Java and Sumatra.
The most important sacred mountain of East Java is the majestic Mt Semeru, the highest mountain of Java and an active volcano. This is the sacred mountain of Majapahit, not far away Krakatau.

 

It's always a pleasure to read your posts, @Any Jewelry .

 

So nice of you to say so, Fig, thank you.