Opium Weights from Burma
These interesting animal weights have long attracted the curiosity of travellers to Burma and are now very much coveted by collectors as they become harder to find. The term ‘opium' weight is somewhat a misnomer. It arouses the romantic notion that these weights were used to weigh and measure out wads of acrid smelling opium that would then be smoked on platform beds in darkened dens. The term "opium" weight was probably coined by a foreigner with a lively imagination and an allure for the mystical East. While it is true that some of the smaller weights were used for measuring the heady sap, "opium" weights served a much wider, more useful and down to earth purpose. Originally they were used to weigh relatively high value products such as silver ingots which were used as currencies. Early European traders reported the use of these weights for measuring foreign gold and silver coins, pearls, rubies, coral, personal ornaments, spices, camphor, musk and costly medicines. More common products were weighed with dome shaped marble weights. Items were measured by a beam hung with two baskets or trays.
Early adventurers to the court of Pegu in the 16th century noted that silver bullion was weighed with these “curious animal weights”. Yule, an emissary of Queen Victoria, illustrated one in his book, “A Narrative of the Mission Sent by the Governor General of India to the Court of Ava” in 1855. While historical records are sketchy, it’s thought the first opium weights date back to the 12th or 13th century. Unfortunately, it’s believed that a lot of the earlier weights were melted down and remoulded in the styles of the day. The oldest weight that I have seen is dated 1385-1423, using the Donald and Joan Gear’s classification table. It belonged to a Burmese trader in Mandalay and he was reluctant to part with it. Such is the passion for these weights held by collectors. As well as Burma, opium weights were also once used over much of north Siam, Laos and Yunnan. This is due partly because they were under Burmese domination from 1557AD until the end of the 18th century. The Burmese destroyed the local weight standards and the conquered regions had to adopt the Burmese standards. Traditional weights in bronze stopped being made soon after the British took over Burma in 1885, after which they were replaced by uninteresting round iron weights.
The royal animal weights were made using the lost wax technique, which could have reached Burma though Bengal or Yunnan. Great care was taken in weighing the amount of molten metal used in casting to ensure that the purported weight was accurate. The weights are made of a cupriferous alloy, the composition of which was variable, the main elements being copper, lead and tin. Minor constituents included zinc, iron, nickel and silver. The weights and measures system was subject to the scrutiny of the king, who, after assuming the throne, had a master set of weights made in the style of his choosing. These weights were kept in the Hlut-taw (Supreme Council of State) and citizens were expected to ensure that the weights they used conformed to the standard weights. The Burmese mass unit is the kyat or tical, a term known to be in use in Pegu since 1515AD. The Burmese tical mass varied with time from 10.4grams (15thC) to 16.3 grams (1830). One hundred tical is referred to as a viss, equal to approximately 3 ½ pounds. The largest genuine weight produced was 250 ticals (kyat), running down 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 tical.
Burmese Opium Weights : Bird and Lion Weight
Burmese animal weights fall into two representations; the beast and the bird weight of various designs and decoration. They all stand on bases of different shapes. No other animal shapes with the exception of the marble tortoise weights are considered to have been made in Burma, with a few very rare exceptions. The elephant shaped weights of North Siam are rarely seen in Burma. The bird weights are often referred to as the hamsa, hansa and hintha which are Pali and Sanskrit names for geese. The plump looking birds with heads tucked in are referred to as Mon ducks or sleeping ducks. Less common is the name karaweik, which refers to later bird weights, distinguished from the Hamsa by the beak which is pointed and curves down at the tip. The Hamsa beak is flat and rounded at the tip. The name karaweik seems to have Chinese origins. Some other names used by writers and collectors of weights include mandarin ducks and Brahmin ducks. Certain weights resemble a jungle fowl, occasionally referred to as chickens by collectors, though it is doubtful that this was the intended representation given the Buddhist influence on the shapes of weights and the lowly status of the chicken.
The beast weights are commonly referred to as ‘lions’, Chinthè, to or to- naya and to-aung. While bearing similarities to the mythical beast represented by the weights they are not the same. The beast weight is a horned, lion like creature composed of elements of the lion/tiger (the mane and tongue), deer (the horns), elephant (hooves) and horse (tail). The reasons that the weights have taken these forms are deeply symbolic. Gear asserts that few artefacts in the world carry so much and so many meanings. The bird was associated in Buddhism with spiritual purity and gentleness. In the context of the weight, the bird could differentiate between pure and impure silver alloys and would accurately reflect mass. The bird is thought to form a link between heaven and earth and represent the flight of the soul. The beast weight is thought to represent the bodhisattva, or one who seeks enlightenment out of compassion to release others from suffering, as well as the chakravartin, a divine universal monarch. The beast weight symbolises the god-king. The Burmese regard the beast weight as having ‘power’ and as having had this power from the earliest times. The introduction of a new beast weight style symbolised either the creation of a new Burmese empire or an expansion of it, and usually a new dynasty. Burmese that I have spoken to believe animal weights to have strong healing powers, especially weights produced during the rule of King Bodawpaya.
Distinguishing Features
The distinguishing features that are used to classify weights include; handles as seen on the larger weights (100 tical, 50 tical & occasionally 20 & 10 tical ), horns (on the beast weights), head crests (birds weights), mouths and mouth appendages, manes, wings (birds), feet, tails, base shapes, decorations and foundry marks or signs. These signs are marks usually found on the base of certain weights, most often on the side of the basal block. They take a variety of forms including the 4, 5, 6, and 9 ray star, circular or square depressions, a bird sign, or the Burmese character, gha, which is roughly a W shape. Rarely, an auxiliary sign exists such as an arrow. Systematic style variations occurred over time, helping to group them. An analysis of the features of any given weight helps determine the period in which it was made, and the rarity of the weight based on the frequency of production during that period.
Detecting Fake Opium Weights
The value of a weight is influenced by the level of craftsmanship, the rarity of the style, its age, and the composition of the bronze alloy, size and the overall condition of the weight. Some of the most handsome weights are more recent ones (mid-late 1800s), produced by the Shan, who are noted for their metal working skills. Fakes and replicas abound, ranging from obvious copies to quite convincing ones. Some of the animals currently being produced such as cats, peacocks, monkeys, rabbits and rats were never used when genuine antique weights were being cast in Burma. Elephant weights and various animal figurines are Siamese, not Burmese. Another indicator of a copy is a strong brass colour. Genuine weights are normally quite dark, sometimes with a reddish colour due to a high copper content with older weights or in some cases silvery, when silver or extra tin was added to the alloy. Authentic opium weights are normally scarred and pitted as a result of continued rough use, though there are exceptions, such as well crafted weights that were possessed and relatively unused by the aristocracy. Key indicators of an unofficial weight include odd combinations of features and signs, poor styling, asymmetric form, forms other than those produced in Burma, those sold in sets, unpitted surfaces, especially the base, or an overly green patina caused by exposure to acids. One feature of older weights that is hard to replicate is the smooth, worn away surfaces where lines/grooves have been shallowed from handling over hundreds of years.
Collecting Opium Weights
It is no wonder that opium weights are growing in popularity as a collector’s item. They are aesthetically engaging and represent a fascinating period in history- each weight has a story to tell and some sense of individuality. A genuine weight will only rise in value over time. Dealers found in the backstreets of Burma and Thailand already complain that good weights come to them far less frequently than before. The number of available weights for sale throughout Burma, Thailand and Laos has diminished significantly over the past 10 years. If you venture to Burma or Thailand to hunt for weights, expect dealers to know the value of the rarer and better made weights. An excellent source of information on the subject is "Earth to Heaven: the Royal Animal Shaped Weights of the Burmese Empires" by Donald and Joan Gear from which much of the information contained in this article was gleaned. It is also the reference guide by which the weights offered on our site are categorised. As the authors point out though, it is a guide only and from our experience there are genuine weights whose characteristics occasionally lie outside those identified in the book and don’t fit neatly into the chronological sequence illustrated. Be warned, collecting opium weights can become addictive- finding and taking possession of a sought after weight is quite exhilarating and you may find each weight purchased is soon joined by another to keep it company.
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