Traditional Thai Crafts Appraisal

Thai Benjarong Covered Urn

This is a Thai Benjarong porcelain jar with a matching domed lid, likely dating to the late 20th or early 21st century. The vessel features a classic ovoid body tapering to a pedestal foot, topped with a tiered, pagoda-style lid culminating in a pointed finial. The piece is hand-painted using the traditional five-color enamel technique (Benjarong translates to 'Five Colors'), though this specific example utilizes a rich palette of turquoise blue, iron red, forest green, and white, all heavily accented with 18k or 24k gold leaf gilding. The decorative motif is an intricate, repetitive floral lattice or 'Lai Thai' pattern that covers the entire surface area with exceptional precision. The relief-like texture of the enamel suggests high-quality craftsmanship where the minerals are layered to create a three-dimensional effect. The gold borders are bright and showcase minimal wear, indicating the piece has been well-maintained as a decorative item rather than used for storage. There are no visible chips, cracks, or significant loss to the enamel. The internal ceramic body appears to be a fine white porcelain. This style of ceramics was historically reserved for the Thai royal court and represents a significant artisan tradition in Southeast Asian decorative arts.