18th-19th century miniature bronze pomegranate / gourd Unsure country of origin - examples of antique miniature bronze items in shapes such as pomegranates, pumpkins, gourd and garlic were popular throughout the Chinese Qing Dynasty (1644–1911) as scholars' objects, paperweights, or auspicious decorations; more widely in SE Asia as opium weights . In west Africa, some were used as gold-dust weights (locally known as mrammou or abrammuo); also small, intricate bronze or brass sculptures were used by the Ashanti Akan peoples of Ghana and Ivory Coast to measure gold dust Condition:a broken piece loss to calyx (see photos) otherwise good patina -displays well Size: 5.5cm from calyx to stem, 3.7cm diameter Weight: 60 grams.
