Lacquered stand with mother of pearl inlay

These religious items were originally produced for high-ranking monks on the occasion of King Chulalongkorn’s Second Coronation in 1873 and were therefore an exceptional inclusion to Siam’s presentation at the U.S. Centennial Exposition three years later. The design for each incorporates aspects of the Privy Seal of King Chulalongkorn and the Royal Seal of Erawan, which are also featured on the king’s ceremonial letters. The decorative banners declare the king’s royal title and the date of his coronation.
Gift from King Chulalongkorn to the Smithsonian Institution, 1876