Antique Primitive Bronze Elephant Opium Weights, 19th C (Set of 5)

While called opium weights, these were used to weigh many things in everyday transactions, such as gold, silver, spices, pearls, etc. Measurements were proportional within a graduated set, although not adhering to modern day measurements.
 
This set features elephants in rough detail, or primitive style. They stand on pedestals of varying height. Four have a flower or asterix marking on the front (the one on the smallest may have rubbed off).
 
An asterisk, or star-shaped mark, on an opium weight typically indicates the weight's age. In the 19th century, Burmese metal workers used star-like flowers with varying numbers of "petals" or rays to mark weights, with the number of petals signifying a specific period of manufacture. These are a type of "foundry mark" that can help date the item. This would explain the variance in the design or style of our elephants as 4 petals (which we see on two of our elephants) mean likely early 19th century, and 5 or 6 petal mean likely mid-19th century (two have six petals). 
 
However, this is not a strict rule and we understand that most elephant-shaped opium weights originated in Laos, once called the Land of Elephants.
 
We believe our mother would have picked these up in an antique shop in Thailand as early as the 1970s or in Laos as late as the mid 1980s. All five of the elephants are in good vintage condition, but with a cloth stuck to the bases – perhaps these were glued down to something to prevent them falling over in an earthquake after our mother moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989.
 
They range in size from 2 3/4” to 1 1/8” in height, and 5.19 oz (147g) to 1.31 oz (37g).
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.