Graduated cast bronze zoomorphic opium weights. Unmarked,2 x 1 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches (largest).

An artifact of Southeast Asian mercantile history. Cast bronze opium weights, historically utilized throughout Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Laos from the sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries, represent a nexus of regional commerce and skilled craftsmanship. While colloquially termed "opium weights" by foreign travelers and souvenir markets. these bronze figures primarily served as standard units of measurement in everyday trade, used to weigh everything from raw materials and precious metals to staple marketplace goods. 

Typically produced in complete, graduated sets, the weights were often cast in the forms of stylized regional fauna or mythical beasts, including lions and Brahminy ducks. By the 19th century, larger weights featured integrated angles to facilitate lifting.

[Asian Art, Asian Sculpture] [Art, Fine Art, Statue, Sculpture] [Opium, Opium Wars] [Scales, Balances, Weights and Measures]