Very fine old Minang ceremonial plate from West Sumatra, Indonesia, c. 1930-50

Description

This is a rare and old Sumatran plate (or dish) made by a skilled artisan.
It was used by a Minangkabau family for ceremonies and festivals in the early to mid-1900s.  It is made of either bronze or brass (difficult to determine because when it was made, the plate was blackened with some kind of coating).  The overall patina is beautiful.
It features striking floral motifs throughout, three fish along the sides, and a crab at the center.  The fish and central crab are all very well defined, with minor wear showing that the plate was used by the family for decades.
It was field collected in 1980 by Brian Stephenson in Buket Tinggi, in the Minang area of West Sumatra, Indonesia.  At that time Mr. Stephenson was part of the British Geological Survey.  He was involved in making the first modern geological and tectonic maps of Sumatra and lived for three years among the Batak people around the Lake Toba area.
The plate's approximate measurements are:  weight 3 lb 6 oz (1.5 kg), diameter 11 3/4 inches (29.8 cm), height 1 3/4 inch (4.6 cm), thickness of rim just under 1/4 inch (5 mm).  It weighs approximately 4 pounds.
I am downsizing and reluctantly parting with most of my collection of fine Indonesian artworks, which I have collected over the years from leading art dealers around the world.  This piece has an excellent provenance and comes directly from Mr. Stephenson's personal collection of Indonesian art (presently in the U.K.).