Antique Tibetan Buddhist small reliquary in stupa form. Carved of quartz crystal in two sections with traces of gold leaf, this votive offering would have once been housed in a larger container and placed at the foot of an architectural stupa acting as either a funeral mound or housing relics of an important person. The shape, with it's rounded body and terraced lid, imitates the larger stupa, a three dimensional mandala and symbol of Buddha. With a small wooden collector's box...

Antique Nepalese bronze melong, "Mirror of Emptiness". Melong are placed on altars to reflect right thoughts. This melong has a polished center surrounded by flames. It stands on a lotus base. It is the same on either side. A soft rattling sound from within the convex portion of the mirror reveals that it has been consecrated, meaning a prayer has been placed inside.

Age: 18th/19th century

Dimensions: 7 1/2" high x 4 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep

Antique Tibetan tall bronze butter lamp for a Buddhist altar. Traditionally, the butter lamp would burn ghee. The light of the flame of the butter lamp represents the "wisdom of the awakened mind" and helps to "dispel the darkness of delusion". Most Tibetan household and temple altar displays include a butter lamp. This tall lamp resembles a multi tiered lotus blossom with decorative granulation on the edges...

Antique Tibetan tall bronze butter lamp for a Buddhist altar. Traditionally, the butter lamp would burn ghee. The light of the flame of the butter lamp represents the "wisdom of the awakened mind" and helps to "dispel the darkness of delusion". Most Tibetan household and temple altar displays include a butter lamp. This tall lamp resembles a multi tiered lotus blossom with decorative granulation on the edges...

This is an antique Tibetan portable altar table used by a high lama to perform ritual ceremonies and prayers. It is decorated with curtain front cut-out panels that have a central snow lion carving and it is surrounded by beautiful articulated cloud formation. On the outer frame, it has a pho bamboo carving and beyond that is a scrolling lotus motif...

Antique Tibetan silver incense burner in three pieces. Created as a smaller version of a kapala (skull cup) ritual vessel for Buddhist ceremonies. The censor seats into a triangular base covered with designs of swirling mist and Sanskrit symbols. The lid is similarly decorated and has a vajra finial.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions: 7 3/4" high x 4 1/4" wide x 4 1/2" wide

Antique Tibetan small bronze votive cup for use on a Buddhist altar to make offerings to various deities. There are 8 auspicious items traditionally offered: water to drink, water to wash, flowers, incense, light (an oil lamp or candle), perfume, celestial food, and music (usually a conch shell). This bronze cup stands on a small round foot and has a deep, rich patina...

Two antique Indian charms from Tamil Nadu. The larger one is an Araimudi, in the shape of fig leaf and was by worn by young village girls to protect their “modesty”, the smaller one was probably worn as an amulet with a granulated image of a feminine deity. Free shipping via Hong Registered Airmail. Large is H: 6.3cm/ 2.4in x W: 5.3 cm/2in, the smaller one is H: 4.4cm/ 1.7in x W: 3.2 cm/1.2in. Big one is 31 grams and small one 15 grams

A copper "gau" prayer box, the lid with chased Kalachakra mantra. Inside a fine "tsakli" painting on canvas in colors and gold, depicting the deity "Green Tara", sitting on a lotus throne. The fitted tsakli is removable and with no inscription on the backside. Condition: painting little rubbed, gau interior with some verdigris. Dimension: gau: 9.5 x 11.3 x 3.2 cm, height tsakli: c. 8.5 cm.

Antique Tibetan tsakli card painted with the figure of Canda-Vajrapani. The fierce deity is one of the earliest bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism. Considered the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha, he symbolizes the manifestation of the Buddha's power. On this card, he is shown with vajra in hand, a tiger skin around his waist, surrounded by his flaming nimbus...

Antique Tibetan damaru, double skull drum traditionally for tantric ceremonies and meditation. Made in the joining of a male and a female cranium inside of which is usually inscribed with the corresponding male or female mantra. In this case, the two sides are attached with ornate silver repouse bands of scrolling vines and Buddhist symbols. In the center, a handle is attached to a band of silver that is inlaid with turquoise and coral and fitted with two drum beaters on the end of chords...

Mystical Dzi beads have been implements of ancient Tibetan culture for thousands of years. They are believed to hold magical properties bringing prosperity and protection. They are also thought to hold medicinal properties and so can be characterized by the "dig marks" left over the surface of the bead where a small portion has been scraped away to be ingested. This Dzi bead has a pattern of 8 white circles, or "heavenly eyes", considered one of the most sought after characteristics...

Mystical Dzi beads have been implements of ancient Tibetan culture for thousands of years. They are believed to hold magical properties bringing prosperity and protection. They are also thought to hold medicinal properties and so can be characterized by the "dig marks" left over the surface of the bead where a small portion has been scraped away to be ingested...

Silver Nepali mohar, from the reign of Prithvi Narayan Shah circa 1768-1775CE. VG. D: 29mm, 6 grams.

An unusual model of Phurba in lost wax cast bronze and gilded with mercury. Iron blade. The handle is made up of a whole bust of the deity and not just a head as we can usually find it...

Unusual antique Tibetan gau ghao (gao). Used as a portable shrine that hangs around the neck, a gao is usually a box filled with prayers written on cloth around a central deity visible through a window. This gao is flat but it is similar to the traditional gao in that it has a central deity and a window cut out of leather. The outside of the pouch, like that of the traditional box shrine, is decorated with Buddhist symbols (lotus flower, conch shell, umbrella, eternal knot, etc.) made of...

Rare antique silver and gold damascened iron ceremonial tea bowl, possibly 13th-14th century, Tibet.

The bowl is deep in form with a flaring rim, it rests on a disc-shaped foot, its external surface is richly inlaid with silver scrollwork and three gold inlaid long-life 'Shu' symbols.

PROVENANCE: In "From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art from the Newark Museum," Page 116-117, Plate 61, a Tibetan Tsampa container is published that is also made of iron and decorated with the...

Antique copper alloy Sino-Tibetan Buddhist ritual bell Ghanta and Vajra, 16th -17th century, Ming Dynasty, Tibet.

The ghanta is cast in two parts: a silvery metal bell decorated with a band of vajra symbols and the shoulder adorned with sacred syllables in a written lantsa script.

The bronze handle is formed by the Bodhisattva's head, crowned by nine-pronged dorje below the thumb ring.

The clapper's interior is decorated with a six petals lotus flower head.

The accompanying nine-...