benjarong (เบญจรงค์)
Pali-Sanskrit-Thai. ‘Five Colours’. A type of
enameled
porcelain
composed of five colours against a sixth
background colour, initially made in
China
for export to Thailand, but later made in Thailand itself, applying
more typical Thai designs (fig.).
It first appeared in the late
Ayutthaya
Period and continued until the reign of King
Rama V, when European
designs replaced the benjarong in popularity. Later fewer colours
and a white background (fig.)
were often used but the manufacturing process (fig.)
was similar and the name benjarong continued to apply (fig.).
In the 19th century, benjarong lai nahm thong (เบญจรงค์ลายน้ำทอง)
wares, i.e. an exclusive version of the Bencharong using gold
embellishment instead of gold enamel, developed. Benjarong pottery
exists in various forms and designs, including plates, cups,
pots and vases. The latter are most commonly used as decorative
items and also come in various shapes, all with their own
designation, including
toh chan,
toh phaya kru, and
toh phaya kru juk tat, etc. Also
spelled bencharong.
See also POSTAGE STAMPS (1),
(2)
and
(3).
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