Thanks!

It does have a musical quality to it similar to a bell when struck.Any idea what the symbols are?

The symbol in the center of the bowl looks similar to the Buddhist Dharmacakra, except on this design the spokes are four in number rather than eight.

A Buddhist symbol would fit since singing bowls are commonly associated with Tibetan Buddhism.

The four spokes might be related to something akin to the Four Nobel Truths of Buddhism.

Curiously the symbol is also similar to some used in the Bon religion which competes with Buddhism in Tibet and is also associated with singing bowls-like instruments. The four spokes might in that case be related to something like the Four Joys of the Bonpo.

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I'm glad to hear you didn't drill a hole in the bottom. I think you made a good decision.

Thanks for the link.There are hundreds that look just like mine.It does sing with a very haunting and lingering tone when struck or rubbed with a wooden dowel.

I adhered a self-stick chair leg felt cushion to the bottom, and the sound lingers a lot longer that on a flat surface.

I may hang it upside down with a striker to make a wind chime.

I think I got a good find for $1.

I am still curious about the symbols on it,haven't found a list of symbols or characters that match them.

"I may hang it upside down with a striker to make a wind chime."

I wouldn't be modifying it in any way until I was certain what it was and what it's worth. After all you may have found something that is extremely valuable and very old. If you start modifying it and then find later that you just drilled a hole in something that was worth a fortune before you drilled the hole in it you're going to feel like a right git.

By the way, I also agree that it looks very much like a singing bowl and if it's from Tibet it may well be very old and valuable especially if it has a reasonable amount of gold in it.

I was poised with drill in hand, and just could not do it.To take away even a molecule of this piece of art would be improper.

I felt as if I were about to drill a hole in my hand.

I discovered something I didn't know existed (or did it find me?), the elements and art of which preceded me by thousands of years.It will remain as is for as long as I have it.

_{That's actually why I yelled "no"!}

Nooooooo!

It's too beautiful to drill like that! And as masu said, it may have a monetary value.

I agree with the others that it looks like a singing bowl. Good find.

Yes, I agree, a Tibetan singing bowl, used for meditation....Oooouuuummmmm

That certainly looks a lot like it.

The symbols are similar but a little different.Just curious what type of metal it is.It is slightly magnetic, but not as much as iron or steel.The symbols appear to be inlaid into the base metal.

The metal is shiny and non corroded and very hard.

The inlay seems to be brass or gold, probably gold because it was not tarnished like brass would be.The inlay has depth to it,you can feel the difference in height between the surface.

It really has a nice harmonic sound to it.

I think I will meditate on that for a while.

I saw a few of these in a "new age" store at a mall few years back. You can stike them for a ringing sound, but the really good ones you can rub the rim in a circular fashion with a wooden rod and they will resonate with a very pleasant 'song'. The base metal is most likely brass with possibly some silver added to get more "ringing" from it.

it's the cap of a kalash urn. it's used mostly for ceremonial and religious purposes. it can also be used to store ashes.

Used to store ashes? Ashes from whom what?

the Buddist that once owned this object wounld'nt have the need to get in the last word.

the Budda scriptures are the best text books out there. some of you should read them.

How do you know the ashes don't want their (home) urn back?

After all, they urnt it!

If you see some homeless ashes wandering around, send them over to HiTekReds'

;-)

that's great. someone on cr4 with a sense of humor and doorman did'nt get the last word in.

It is an Ironer designed for a rich man. When there was no electricity in India, they would put read hot coal and iron. A heavy rag pad to hold and press then put on a stand to sit , change sides of cloth and take to press again. After throw out coal , wipe clean and put it inverted.The poor had a simple aluminium or copper make. I made 80% close.

Here's a link to one for £60 (about $90)

http://www.shamanscrystal.co.uk/product/3996/five-buddha-singing-bowl/%3Futm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_campaign%3Dproduct-extensions

It includes a description of the way it's "rung", and, they sell accessories: cushion and beater. I'm sure you can find a US source.

I had to laugh when I saw this:-

There are 5 of these RARE bowls available from this one site and at least another 4 with identical pictures as you scroll down through the the list of "Rare Superb bowls".

Yours does appear to be a beautiful object and certainly worth the $1 you paid for it.

I just noticed that several of the bowls on the list have dimensions of 5cm*8cm (about 2 inches high by just over 3 inches diameter). How big is yours?

I bought this for it's beauty.If it had any collector value was secondary.It sang to my sense of harmony for some reason before I even struck it with mallet.

I knew it was not ancient, because lathe marks are visible on inside of bowl, however the outside is immaculately polished.

I knew nothing about this when I bought it, but have since learned a lot, thanks to this forum and it's knowledgeable members.

The measurements of the one I have are approximately 6 3/4" X 2 3/4".

The metal looks like polished stainless, but the relieved parts have a rough cast appearance.The whole bowl is gold or alloy covered and all of the artwork is elevated by perhaps .010".

I would not want to try to duplicate whatever processes they used to create it.

The symbols still have me scratching my head though.

Usually lotus flowers are depicted as they are the symbol of purity and enlightenment. The highest Chakra (just above your head) is known as the lotus chakra and once opened is the gateway to enlightenment.

Remember to sit in the lotus position when meditating with your bowl.

PS: Glad to hear it's the beauty that has you hooked...it is lovely.

Those marks that look like lathe marks probably are not. This bowl would have been formed by spinning it over a mandrel and using another highly polished piece of metal to shape it to the mandrel form. The mandrel spins with the bowl, but usually slips a small amount. This method leaves a very high polish on the outer surface and lines from the rough mandrel on the inside..The symbols would have been installed while the metal was still a flat piece.

I have a singing bowl that is 31cm wide and 19cm tall. It rings for many minutes. I do not have your nice decorations.

CR4 - please have a new setting 'display all comments' as well as the default 'display on topic comments' only. Some of us enjoy the chatter, but don't have time to click twice & back again just because a comment is 'once removed '.