Steps to verify original opium weights

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Opium weights are artistic creations of the ancient people of Burma. Normally these weights were used to weight opium. It is also known that these weights were also used to weight other daily used materials and commercial value. When not in used these weights are stored in the well decorated wooden caskets for the future use.

Scholar Annandale points out that the scale used to measure are not hand-held. Instead, the scale is suspended either from the horizontal twig of a bamboo stuck upright in the ground. The scale is also held from the paddle either fixed vertically in a slanting position or tied across other paddles to form the framework of a temporary bazaar-stall of the mats. Annandale also suggests that since people visit markets by boat, therefore paddles are widely used for the scaling purpose. The use of the opium weights were then spread to nearby places.

In 1885 British troops captured Mandalay and the last king of Burma, Thibaw. He was forced to capitulate since he made a contact with the French. After Burma was under the British administration, they introduced round and flat iron weights. With this introduction, the people were forced to use the standardized iron weights. The use of the opium weights was halted. But it is recorded that unofficially the production of the opium weights was continued. At present time, animal shaped weights were seen with the brass metal along with the bronze.

Opium weights designs

Basically, the opium weights can be categorized into two distinct types- with and without animal design. With animals consists of duck, crane, lion, naga, snakes, dragons, elephants, water buffalo, fish, horse, rats, monkeys, tigers, goats. Opium weights without animal design consist of the weights designed with pagoda and drums.

Among opium weights with animals, Hintha, Karaweik, or Toe are most common. Hintha is a mythical duck or goose which is also regarded as Burmese form of the Garuda. Karaweik is the mythical crane while Toe is a lion-like mythical creature. Toe is designed with a face of a lion, horn of cattle, and hooves and tail of a horse. It is recorded that the opium weights which weigh 20 Tical have a semicircular handle that connects the head and tail of the figure.

While molding the weights, first these were hand molded from wax in a lost wax cast. Around 1 viss bronze and 10 Tical wax were used to cast. Later with the objective to softened the weight, scraping material was used in the base or by attaching metal threads. The pieces of glass or lumps of leads were also used. These lead lumps are often seen between the feet of the animals. In recent weights, we can see the calibration marks in the weights.

Verifying original opium weights

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It is the fact that each value of the material is determined by the level of craftsmanship, the material's age, the metal used, size of the material, and the design incorporated in the material. Actually, the people who are working more into the antique opium weights have the knowledge about how to verify original or antique opium weights but this doesn't mean that other people can't find the differences. Their differences can be listed as follows:

• In the ancient period mostly bronze is used to cast the materials. Therefore we find bronze casted materials. Same goes for the opium weights. Ancient opium weights are cast in bronze. This one can be verified by looking at the color. Ancient ones appear quite dark. It may be reddish color due to a high copper inclusion in the older weights.

• Antique opium weights are also found to be scarred and pitted. This is due to the continuous work but this is not the same with all the weights.

• One of the features that can distinguish antique ones with the replica is the smoothness that the antique has. It is worn away and also the lines and grooves that the weights have been swallowed from handling over hundreds of years.

On the other hand, replicas are seen with the odd combinations of the features. They are crafted with poor styling and has an asymmetrical form.