Our catalogue > Sri Lankan Antiques

"The (people) of Ceylon are very crafty and grand artists in the working of gold, silver, ivory, iron and all metals, which is a marvel to see, and which is held in very high esteem through all India, and carries a price above that of all other Indians."

-  so said the Dutch merchant & traveller Jan Huyghen van Linschoten (1563-1611), writing around 1584.

Some of the most beautiful luxury goods made anywhere in the 16th-18th century came from Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and some of the fine examples that we have had are now in public museums in the US, France, Australia & Singapore.

Each of our pieces has been sourced from within the UK, typically from old, private collections.

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9745

Rare Collection of 23 Letters in Pali to Robert Childers, Author of the first Pali-English Dictionary

United Kingdom & Sri Lanka
1860-70

various

Sold

Provenance

private English collection; acquired from a descendent of Childers

6299

Rare, Very Early Sri Lankan Sword Stick with a Silvered Hilt set with Rubies (Bonikkula)

Sri Lanka
17th century

length: 58.9cm, width of hilt: 6.8cm, weight: 495g

Provenance

from the collection of Sir Christopher Ondaatje, UK.

9576

Kandyan Period Cast Brass Standing Buddha

Sri Lanka
18th century

height: 24.6cm, diameter of base: 7.6cm, weight: 1,097g

Provenance

UK art market

6697

Magnificent & Large Sri Lankan Cobra Demon (Maha Raksa) Dance Mask

Sinhala people, Coastal Sri Lanka
19th century

height: approximately 79cm (without stand), width: 62cm

Provenance

UK art market

9582

Sri Lankan Necklace of Gilded-Silver Beads

Sri Lanka
19th century

circumference: 49.6cm, weight: 49g

Provenance

European art market

3024

Sri Lankan Polychrome Pottery Tile

Kandy, Sri Lanka
1800-1850

diameter: 27cm

Provenance

UK art market

8844

Sri Lankan Christian Communion Set with Kandyan Silver

Sri Lanka
circa 1920

height (of case): 19.5cm, width (of case) 25.2cm, depth: 18.3cm, height (of chalice): 11.2cm, diameter (of chalice): 8.8cm, diameter (of paten): 11.4cm, weight (of chalice): 159g, weight (of paten): 66g

Provenance

UK art market

8071

Selection of Silver & Gilded Silver Trade Beads

India, Sri Lanka, Central Asia, Indonesia, Morocco
19th century

length of strand: 56.5cm, weight: 119g

Provenance

Private collection, UK

8842

Sri Lankan Bronze Image of Parvati

Sri Lanka
19th-20th century

height: 82cm

Provenance

from the collection of Sir Christopher Ondaatje, UK.

9035

Sri Lankan Gilded Silver Bracelet set with Pink Sapphires

southern coastal Sri Lanka
circa 1920

inner diameter: widest at 6.2cm, weight: 19g

Provenance

UK art market

6716

Dutch Colonial Carved Ebony Bible Box

Dutch Colonial Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
18th century

width: 23.2cm, depth: 16.1cm, height: 7.5cm, weight: 780g

Provenance

UK art market

6803

Rare Sri Lankan Horn & Silver Box

Sri Lanka
18th-19th century

width: 10.2cm, height: 11cm, depth: 5.2cm, weight: 58g

Provenance

UK art Market

6517

Sri Lankan Silver & Gold Brooch

Southern Coast, Sri Lanka
circa 1900

dimensions: 5.2cm x 5cm, weight: 19g

Provenance

UK art market

6680

Pair of Sri Lankan or South Indian Yali Door Plates

Sri Lanka or South India
circa 18th century

length (each): 16.5cm, width: 13.7cm, combined weight: 1,041g

Provenance

UK art market

6448

Sri Lankan Carved Ebony Box

Galle, Sri Lanka
circa 1840

length: 22.7cm, depth: 10.1cm, height: 8.8cm

Provenance

UK art market; most probably has been in the UK since colonial times.

6447

Sri Lankan Carved Ebony Box

Galle, Sri Lanka
circa 1840

length: 22.8cm, depth: 10.2cm, height: 8.9cm

Provenance

UK art market

6275

Pair of Sri Lankan Pierced Gilded Silver Bracelets set with Zircons

Coastal regions, Sri Lanka
early 20th century

internal diameters: 4.8cm x 4.2cm, combined weight: 78g

Provenance

UK art market

4584

Large Kandyan Period Cast Brass Standing Buddha

Sri Lanka
18th century

height without stand (32cm), with stand: 38cm

Provenance

private collection, UK. The previous owner built up a collection of Buddha images mostly from old UK colonial sources, and did so over a long lifetime.

1647

Fine, South Indian Silver Bracelet

South India or Sri Lanka
19th century

external width: 9.8cm, internal width at widest point: 6.8cm, weight: 156g

Provenance

UK art market

6139

Colonial Silver-Mounted Coconut Cup

probably Colonial Sri Lanka
18th century

height: 12cm, diameter: 11cm weight: 167g

Provenance

UK art market

4717

Sri Lankan Standing Brass Image of the Buddhist Protector Upulvan (Vishnu)

Sri Lanka
19th century

height: 40.3cm

Provenance

UK art market

5938

Sri Lankan Pierced Silver & Gilt Bracelet set with Zircons & an Amethyst

Coastal regions, Sri Lanka
circa 1920

width of face: 3.7cm, internal diameter: 5.1cm, weight: 37.4g

Provenance

Art Market, Scotland

4401

Very Fine Chased Silver Parasol or Cane Handle

Sri Lanka
19th century

length of silverwork: 21.5cm, overall weight: 140g

Provenance

UK art market

4089

Porcelain Snuff Bottle with Silver Mounts

Sri Lanka
18th-19th century

height: 5.3cm, diameter: 4.3cm

Provenance

private collection, London.

960

Sri Lankan Large Ceremonial Brass Tazza (Dalumura Tatuva)

Sri Lanka
19th century

height: 25cm, diameter: 31.2cm, weight: 3.78kg

Provenance

UK art market

3616

Tortoiseshell Box with Fitted Compartments & Gilded Mounts

Galle District, Sri Lanka
circa 1870

length: 19cm, depth: 14.3cm, height: 7cm, weight: 608g

Provenance

UK art market

4245

Dutch Colonial Chased, Oblong Silver Box

Dutch East Indies, probably Batavia
18th century

length: 14.3cm, width: 7.8cm, height: 3.8cm, weight: 228g

Provenance

UK art market

1591

Colonial Sri Lankan Settee

Galle District, Sri Lanka
circa 1840

length: 135cm, height: 80cm, depth: 61cm

Provenance

from a collection in southern England.

1010

Sri Lankan Tortoiseshell Betel Box with Engraved, Parcel-gilt Silver Mounts

Sri Lanka
late 18th century

length: 16cm, width: 12cm, height: 5.2cm, weight: 305g

Provenance

UK art market

1656

Finely Carved Sri Lankan Eight-Sided Ebony Measure or Staff

Sri Lanka
17th-18th century

length: 41cm, diameter: 2.8cm

Provenance

UK art market

3173

Sri Lankan Carved Ebony Box

Galle, Sri Lanka
circa 1800

height: 10.3cm, length: 27.3cm, depth: 19cm

Provenance

UK art market

2694

Sri Lankan Silver Brooch set with Matara ‘Diamonds’ & Coral

Southern Coastal Regions, Sri Lanka
circa 1900

length: 6cm, width: 3.8cm, weight: 19g

Provenance

UK art market

2695

Sri Lankan ‘Star Burst’ Brooch set with Matara ‘Diamonds’

Southern Coast, Sri Lanka
circa 1900

dimensions: 7cm x 7cm, weight: 29g

Provenance

UK art market