A LARGE LACQUERED WOOD PHALLUS, PALAD KHIK Thailand, first half of the 20^th century. The phallus covered almost entirely in neatly incised sacred inscriptions save for the base and top, and finely lacquered to a deep brown tone.

Provenance: French trade.
Condition: Good condition with some wear, flaking to lacquer, few small chips and scattered nicks, light surface scratches. Naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 1,161 g
Dimensions: Height 47 cm

Palad Khik is a kind of Thai amulet that is shaped like a penis. The phrase 'palad khik' translates to 'honorable surrogate penis'. These amulets range from a few inches to several feet long in length. Palad Khik can be made from wood, metal, bone, horn, or ivory, and they are created by monks who specialize in them. Engraving the sacred inscriptions is an important ritual and can take many months to complete.

Literature comparison:
Compare two related palad khik in the collection of the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, accession numbers 71.1984.50.28 and 71.1981.41.83.