Bamboo Hand Painted Basket

Dimensions: 36cm high, 29cm wide.
Code: CANE 0621

This hand-painted basket, from the 1930s/40s comes from the Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu. The actual basket is likely to have originally come from Panthanaw a town in Myanmar (Burma), which is famous for split bamboo mats and other bamboo and cane products. The inside and outside of the basket have been hand-painted turquoise blue, this is likely to have been done by Chettiar artists. Onto the four panels of the basket, which are divided by a yellow painted band, are yellow and pink flowers. Around the top of the basket is a painted red band with yellow trim. Beautiful storage piece. In very good condition.

The Chettiar community had very close ties with Burma during the time of the British Colonial rule. Many in this community lived and worked in Burma but maintained their ties with their families in South India. They returned for family events such as weddings and major festivals and they also maintained elaborate family homes, filled with fine materials such as Italian marble, Venetian chandeliers, Burmese lacquerware and cane ware.