A LARGE BORNEO CAST BRONZE GONG, TAWAK-TAWAK 19th... Lot 40

A LARGE BORNEO CAST BRONZE GONG, TAWAK-TAWAK 19th century 9 x 47 cm Finely decorated on the external surface with three Chinese-style dragons amidst sinuous vegetable scrolls, with a bronze suspension chain. Provenance: Acquired before 1975. Tawak-tawak gongs were usually used as signal to call people, but it was also attributed to them a magical power against demons; furthermore, they were considered symbols of authority and sometimes used as a kind of currency. A very similar gong is in the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. RV-893-107).