Painted Marble Ganesha, India, 19thC.

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: India Pre 1900: item #507795
3554

Compact and attractive carving of the much beloved Indian god Ganesha. Dates from the 19th century. In excellent condition with much of the paint remaining.

2.1/2 inches (6.4 cm) high.

I am based in the United Kingdom so charges made to credit cards are in GBP ( British Pounds ) and your credit card issuer automatically convert... Click for details

A bronze libation vessel, India, 18th Century.

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: India Pre 1800: item #495812
3532

An Indian bronze libation vessel in the form of a conch shell. It has a wonderful old patina and dates at least from the 18th century.

3.7/8 inches (9.8 cm) long. Fine and undamaged.

I am based in the United Kingdom so charges made to credit cards are in GBP ( British Pounds ) and your credit card issuer automatically conve... Click for details

A bidri chillum, India, 18th Century.

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: India Pre 1900: item #495809
3533

The Indian sadhu is a person who has renounced the world in favour of devotion. Amongst his few possessions you would find a chillum. The chillum is a straight pipe, most often made from clay, in which the sadhu smokes a mixture of tobacco and bhang (cannabis). A small stone is placed in the large opening to prevent the mixture from filling the narrow tube and a small piece of cloth is placed in the mouthpiece, much in the way a modern cigarette has a filter tip. It is at the very least 19th cen... Click for details

Bronze Bird Lamp, 17/18C India.

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: India Pre 1800: item #492239
3514

A BIRD FORM OIL LAMP, INDIA, 18TH CENTURY.

The bird, possibly a parakeet, forms the oil reservoir of a small suspended oil lamp. Similar birds are illustrated in Mark Zebrowski’s “Gold, Silver and Bronze from Mughal India”, some dating as early as the 16th century. This seems to be a very old example also and so a possible dating to 17th to 18th century seems cautious but fair. ... Click for details

Tibetan Carpet: Monastery Runner

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1920: item #489031
16603

Long carpets like this were used almost exclusively by monasteries in Tibet, either to carpet an aisle or for the seating of lamas. Because monasteries are reluctant to sell them very few have found their way to market. Further evidence that this was a monastery piece is the use of the yellow in the central medallions and the red in the surrounding area.

The carpet is all wool - warp, weft, and pile - a... Click for details

Pair of Bronze Lions from Nepal

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1900: item #489000
16349

Huge stone lions like these are often seen on either side of the entrance to monasteries or other religious sites in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal. These small bronze lions probably sat as guardians on a stand or small throne on either side of the statue of a deity.

Each measures 2-7/8 by 2 inches at the base and is 3-3/4 inches high.... Click for details

Set of Seven Tibetan Silver Water Bowls

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1940: item #488112
17397

Every traditional Tibetan altar would be furnished with a set of seven bowls for filled with water. The bowls come in various sizes and are made of different materials depending on the taste and wealth.

These bowls are silver and measure 4-3/8 inches in diameter and are 2-1/8 inches high. The set of seven bowls weighs 29.9 ounces.

Th... Click for details

Double-sided Tibetan Print Block: Milarepa

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1900: item #488094
20759

Milarepa (1040-1123) was a famous Tibetan Buddhist ascetic and poet greatly venerated for his acts of great self-deprivation. He is usually depicted as here with his hand to his ear.

This is a very deeply carved print block with a striking patina such that the calligraphy of the text on the reverse has been virtually obliterated from use. Since printing with wooden blocks such as this has been going on for centuries i... Click for details

17th C. Tibetan Gilt Copper Repousse Statue: Tsongkhapa

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1700: item #487560
20295

One of the most important people in the history of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism was Tsongkhapa (1357-1419). He was a monk who founded the reformed school of Tibetan Buddhism and the Gelugpa sect and contributed enormously to Tibetan Buddhism as we know it.

Many lamas are portrayed with the peaked yellow hat with the side covers, but the rich robes, the teaching mudra of the hands, and the two small rods protruding fro... Click for details

Small Nepalese Bronze Statue of Ganesh

Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent: Himalayas Pre 1800: item #487467
17290

In the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal where this statue originates Ganesh is by far the most popular Hindu god. He gains some of this popularity as the son of Siva and Parvati, but he is also revered in his own right as the remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and success.

In this tiny statue he is portrayed in his two-armed form, standing on his vehicle - pair of musas - and with one tusk shorter than the other. ... Click for details