NMM 2432. Kwáw•ng, Siam (Thailand), 19th century. Small, knobbed, bronze gong. The art of casting bronze developed thousands of years ago in China and gongs like this have been made ever since. This particular example has a five-pointed star engraved on the front. When played, it is suspended by a cord that passes through two holes in the circular rim. Struck on the knob with a padded beater. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.

Lit.:  Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, The Shrine to Music Museum Catalog of the Collections, Vol. II, André P. Larson, editor (Vermillion: The Shrine to Music Museum, 1982), p. 22.

Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, M.M. Thesis, University of South Dakota, May 1983, p. 43, plate XVIII.

NMM 2434. Kwáw•ng, Siam (Thailand), 19th century. Similar to NMM 2432 (above), but larger. Bronze gongs are used for a wide variety of purposes throughout the world, including ceremonial functions in courts or in musical contexts, such as in the Indonesian gamelan. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.

Lit.:  Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, The Shrine to Music Museum Catalog of the Collections, Vol. II, André P. Larson, editor (Vermillion: The Shrine to Music Museum, 1982), p. 22.

Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, M.M. Thesis, University of South Dakota, May 1983, p. 46, plate XVIII.

NMM 1256. Kwáw•ng, Siam (Thailand), 19th century. Similar to NMM 2432 (above) and NMM 2434 (above) but even larger. This example has a diameter of 27.5 cm. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.

Lit.:  Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, The Shrine to Music Museum Catalog of the Collections, Vol. II, André P. Larson, editor (Vermillion: The Shrine to Music Museum, 1982), p. 23.

Thomas E. Cross, Instruments of Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand and Tibet, M.M. Thesis, University of South Dakota, May 1983, p. 46, plate XIX.

Go to Annotated Checklist of Musical Instruments From East Asia on Display at the NMM

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