Luk Khang

Rosewood Spinning Top — Bangkok, Thailand

This spinning top was not discovered by chance, but through a human exchange. While searching for traditional spinning tops in a small craft shop in Bangkok, none could be found. The object itself seemed absent from the shelves, yet not from memory.

The shop owner’s father, intrigued by the request, offered to look for one. When I returned two weeks later, he had gathered several tops, including this finely crafted piece in rosewood. As a gesture of generosity and shared curiosity, he offered the one with the short point (tip), while I chose this one with long steel point (tip) to purchase.

Turned from dense rosewood, the top presents a smooth, balanced profile, accentuated by subtle dark rings near the crown. Its polished surface reveals the natural grain of the wood, while the metal tip ensures stability and durability in motion.

Beyond its form, this piece carries the trace of an encounter—an object made meaningful not only by its craftsmanship, but by the willingness of someone to preserve and rediscover a simple tradition.