IMPORTANT 20thC THAILAND SOLID SILVER & NIELLO PHOTO FRAMES, BANGKOK c.1969

DESCRIPTION

Stunning mid-20th Century Thai very large solid silver & niello presentation photograph frame. Upright rectangular form with shaped top, inside bearing the photograph of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, frame boarders decorated with dense floral ground mounted on a wood back with support. Hallmarked Sterling (925 standard), Maker Thai Nakon (Royal Thai Silversmiths, Bangkok).

The photograph by 'Horace Ashdown, Photo House, Tenterden, portrait studio' depicting the Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P, or contemporarily known as Phibun (Pibul) in the West, was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and dictator from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.

Phibunsongkhram was a member of the Royal Siamese Army wing of Khana Ratsadon, the first political party in Thailand, and a leader of the Siamese revolution of 1932 transforming Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Phibun became the third Prime Minister of Thailand in 1938 as Commander of the Royal Siamese Army, established a de facto military dictatorship inspired by the Italian fascism of Benito Mussolini, promoted Thai nationalism and sinophobia, and allied Thailand with Imperial Japan in World War II. Phibun launched a modernization campaign known as the Thai Cultural Revolution that included a series of cultural mandates, changing the country's name from "Siam" to "Thailand", and promotion of the common Thai language.

Phibun was ousted as Prime Minister by the National Assembly in 1944 and replaced by members of the Free Thai Movement until returning to power in the Siamese coup d'état of 1947 led by the Coup Group. Phibun aligned Thailand with anti-communism in the Cold War, entered the Korean War under the United Nations Command, and abandoned fascism for a façade of democracy. Phibun's second term as Prime Minister was plagued by political instability and was subject to several attempted coup d'etats to remove him including the Army General Staff plot in 1948, the Palace Rebellion in 1949, and the Manhattan Rebellion in 1951. Phibun attempted to transform Thailand into a electoral democracy from the mid-1950s, but was overthrown in 1957 and entered exile in Japan where he died in 1964.

Nielloware art and jewellery has always been very popular in Thailand, However, the niello technique does not seem to have originated in Thailand. It is said that it was introduced by the Persians or the Portuguese to Thailand since both countries had an early presence in Siam.

This frame is an exceptional example of Thai niello work, such pieces were only made for the Royal house and presented to foreign diplomats as gifts. The tradition of presenting nielloware objects as State gifts goes back to the reign of King Narai of Ayutthaya (1656-1688). Pieces of the finest quality can only be viewed at the Nakhon National Museum and the V&A (The Arts of Thailand)

The process of creating niello objects is very complicated and elaborate. Hence, it requires great skill from the craftsman: the object to be decorated, commonly of silver or gold is incised with a traditional Thai pattern. The areas which are to be the background are carved in deep relief and filled with niello which is a black mixture of metallic alloys of lead, copper and silver. Afterwards the niello is fused with the metal of the object by heating. The object is then smoothed by hand with a file and polished. Additional details can also be incised during the filing and polishing process. In the finished article, the silver or gold base of the object stands out and contrasts with the matte black background.

CONDITION

In Great Condition - no damage.

SIZE

Height: 42cm
Width: 30cm
Weight: 1435g