This is a Tibetan Ritual Celestial Crown also know as a Diadem or Ringga. It is worn by a necromancer or oracle during rituals. The "crown" consists of 5 separate paintings on paper and each painting is backed with thin cardboard for stiffness. The sections are connected with string. When worn, the crown is tied around the head with string. The sections are painted with the five Dhayani, celestial Buddhas, each painted with his traditional color and gesture. Each section is 4 wide by 6.5 h...

Antique 19th century Tibetan, huge Drinking Horn used to hold and dispense Chhaang or barley beer. The slightly curved large horn body mounted with four brass mounts each hammered and finely repoussed with Ruyi heads and roiling waves ornaments and fitted with three suspension loops. The wider end has been plugged with a disk of wood. The other end has been similarly plugged but leaving a small hole from which the liquid can be poured.

Chhaang is a Tibetan beer brewed from barley, millet o...

The mystical Dzi beads are implements of ancient Tibetan and other Asian cultures for several hundreds of thousands of years. Dzi beads are believed to hold magical properties bringing prosperity and protection to whomever wore these beads. The butterscotch agate Dzi bead has natural dragon veining, with patterns of 4 white "heavenly eyes" thought to overcome negative forces, clears obstacles, increases merits & longevity, subdue demons. This is an old bead but dating is undetermined.
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Antique Tibetan Dzi bead, agate with single white band. The mystical Dzi beads are implements of ancient Tibetan and other Asian cultures for several hundreds of thousands of years. Dzi beads are believed to hold magical properties bringing prosperity and protection to whomever wore these beads. 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.

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Hanging from the belt on a leather strap, the stylized milking hook was the essential item of ornamentation for any Tibetan woman properly dressed for a festival. Surrounding the hook surface is a heavy etched silver band. The bronze/brass hook has is etched with markings and is inset with 5 large beads, set in silver bezels. The original leather strap shows lots of wear.

These ceremonial hooks have become hard to obtain. The hook alone measures 5.5 inches long and the strap adds anothe...

The Tibetan leather flint pouch (aka strike a light) is properly known as a "mechag" (me = fire , chag = iron) or fire iron. This Tibetan flint pouch is decorated with ornate silver and bronze ornamentation with an inset red bead which appears to be a replacement for the original bead. The pouch would have been secured to the wears belt with the attached leather strap.

This is large strike a light ...the strike plate spans 6.5 inches and the purse including handle is 5 inches high...an wide...

Antique Tibetan Gau, or portable shrine, with a small statue of Buddha inside behind a window of glass, padded with old fabric. The wooden box has remnants of old red lacquer, and the back opens so that the Buddha may be removed. 19th century.

Size: 3.25" L x 2.5" W 4.25" H

Antique Tibetan Gau, or portable shrine, in a metal repousse container with imagery of lotuses and various figures, within is a deity behind a small glass window. Directly below the deity is the face of Kirtimukha, a common image in Southeast Asian temples. The box is secured within a pouch woven of cotton and silk, with a long strap and small stone clasps. 19th century.

Size: 3.5" L x 3" W x 1.25" H (length of strap 20" hanging)

Antique Tibetan gilt bronze Tara diety, seated with left hand raised and thumb and forefinger touching and right hand resting on knee. Eye drawn on forehead and palms of both hands. Dressed in royal garb. Beautiful serene expression. Well worn, remnants of blue pigment on hair.

Provenance LA Collector
Age: 17th century or Older

Size 6" H x 4 1/4" W x 3 1/2" D

Tibetan gilt bronze Buddhist deity figures, posed into a tantric Yab-yum ("Father / Mother") position is a common symbol in the Buddhist art in India, Button, Nepal, and Tibet. It represents the primordial union of wisdom and compassion, depicted as a male deity in sexual union with his female consort. Its also a reincarnation image of creation. The male deity figure wears an elaborate crown with inlay of diamonds and pointed finial. He holds in his hands a vajra (mean...

Tibetan wood polychrome carving of Saraswati or Yangchenma in Tibet, the goddess of learning, wisdom, music, and aesthetics. She is seated on her vehicle, a swan, and holds flowers in both of her hands. The charming figure is well carved with pigments of red, black, green, yellow and gold gilt.

Dimensions: 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 8" H

Tibetan butterfly-shaped woolen under-saddle rug "Makden", made in two pieces in knotted pile. Backed with purple cotton, edged with red wool fabric and having two not pierced strap holes. Decorated with peony flowers and waves. Condition: clean, full pile only few areas with little wear, backing with a small hole. Dimension: 112 cm x 72 cm.

Antique Tibetan broach with figures of the Lord Vishnu astride the anthropomorphic form of Garuda, his vehicle mount (vahana). Made of metal filagree and inlaid with coral, shell, turquoise, and red and blue carved glass.

Age: Early 20th century

Dimensions: 2 1/8" high x 2 1/8" wide

Antique Tibetan kapala, or human skullcup, with a beautiful bronze stand. In Tibet, it was considered a great honor to have one's cranium turned into a kapala, which would be used for religious purposes. Kapalas are used in the Hindu Tantra and Buddhist religions. The skull itself is very old and is lined with nickel. The bronze stand has a beautiful lotus design, skulls going all around, the image of a kneeling worshipper, and hoof shaped feet. Stand is 18th century. Provenance James Coburn Es...

Quirky set of Tibetan tools/utensils in copper and shagreen sheath. The blades and other bits are good quality steel with good bone handles. Possibly a surgeons or dentists set, I honestly don’t know- there are no chopsticks or forks, as is typical, so I don’t think these were used for eating. The knife has a good edge, this will clean up with a bit of baking powder and effort. All pieces in good condition and functional. Old circa 19th CE. See scale in last enlargement.

Antique Tibetan lacquer cabinet, hand-painted in motifs of flowers and foliage surrounding a central auspicious object on each front panel. Its 4 front doors are removable and swing open on rounded pegs. The top surface is slightly flared and has a panel carved with geometric designs below, similar to those seen in each painting.

Early 20th century

Dimensions: 46" L x 19" D x 37.5" H

A Tibetan round burl root wood container. The top surface of the lid is flattened with low relief carved rings. Inside the container has been lacquered in black, the edges of the container with traces of red pigment.

Dimensions: 4" x 2 1/2" H

Antique Tibetan trunk with black and red lacquer, hand painted imagery of butterflies and flowers. The interior is very roomy with a round locking front. The base is carved with panels depicting flowers. Size: 29.25" H, 41.5" W, 26.5" D