Drink syphon, made up of two lengths of cane held together by a brass joint, topped with animal and bird figures. [N.B. 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 11/4/2005]

Collection type: Object
Description: Drink syphon, made up of two lengths of cane held together by a brass joint, topped with animal and bird figures. [N.B. 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 11/4/2005]
Geographical reference: India
Asia > Southern Asia > India; Assam North Cachar Hills
Cultural groups: Kuki
Person: Field collector James Philip Mills; PRM source James Philip Mills
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1927
Date collected: March 1927
Acquisition information: Loaned: 09/1927 Donated: 1928
Materials and processes: Material Brass Metal, Process Cast
Dimensions: Length: max 480 mm shortest side, Length: max 810 mm longest side
Object numbers: Accession number: 1928.69.1058
Research and responses: Related Documents File - See RDF for 1939.7.12. Excerpt from letter from James Philip Mills dated 26 July, 1939: 'As regards syphons, I thought I gave the Museum a complete simple one, very likely from the North Cachar Hills. Kuki tribes use them because in liquor brewed by their method husks etc. float to the top. The clean liquor must therefore be drawn off from the bottom of the vessel. The method is to push a tube well down into the liquor & drink through it, & another is to syphon the liquor from one vessel into another. Tube A is pushed down into the liquor. The man bends down sucks through tube B & then lets the liquor run through it into another vessel. The liquor from the small vessel can then be served in drinking vessels as required.' [GI 10/12/2001]

Search terms: Food and Drink, Figure, Food Accessory, Bird Figure, Animal Figure