The three-sided style of the phurba comes from an ancient tool used to pin down sacrifices. The phurba has 3 segments to represent its power to transform negative energies. These energies are known as the "three poisons" and are attachment, ignorance, and aversion. The 3 sides of the phurba also represent the 3 spirit worlds and the phurba itself unites those worlds. The handle of the phurba represents "wisdom" while the blade represents "methods"...

A kartika referred to in Tibetan as a "trigug" or "drigug" is a small crescent-shaped handheld ritual flaying knife, used in the tantric ceremonies of Vajrayana Buddhism. The kartika is said to be one of the quintessential attributes of the wrathful tantric deities. It is commonly known as the "knife of the dakinis"...

Thangka of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri, the central figure holding her flaming sword. Depicting the five peaceful manifestations of Manjushri, including the wrathful Mahakala as protector deity of the thangka. There are five monasteries depicted in the painting, each with title describing their identity. WuTai-shan, the five-peak mountain, is shown which contains the five monasteries. At the top of the thangka is Tsongkhapa, the Wisdom manifestation...

A Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze statue of Maitreya, regarded by this world as a future Buddha in succession after the current Sakyamuni Buddha. Tradition teaches that Maitreya is a Bodhisattva who will one day appear on earth to achieve enlightenment and teach the pure dharma. The Bodhisattva is seated on a double-lotus pedestal to represent purity untouched by Samsara, the copper base impressed with a four point vajra to represent the four poisons of the earthly realm...

A set of three Bencharong serving dishes 19thC. Largest diameter 12.7 cm. Condition: two larger dishes perfect, the smaller has a 0.4 cm chip to the rim. Wear to gilding.

A moulded water dropper in the form of a monkey with baby. White stoneware body with cobalt blue decoration, covered with a transparent glaze. Annamese ware ( Vietnam ) fifteenth century. H : 6,4 cm. Condition: Perfect, with smaller areas of spalling to the otherwise wonderful glossy glaze ( please look at the images ).

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...

Antique Tibetan trunk with lid, hand-painted in pigments of red, green, orange, yellow, and gold. The front of the chest with a dragon medallion, surrounded by blooming flowers, smoke, scrolling motifs and auspicious symbols. The lid is secured shut by a front clasp and metal rings attaching it to the body of the trunk.

Dates from 18th century Dimensions: 39 3/4" L x 16 1/2" D x 22" 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

This covered box of a Sawankhalok underglazed black stoneware has an unusual design including six raised bands dividing petal-shaped segments. This type of Sawankhalok ware was produced in Sisatchanelai kilns, Thailand during the fourteenth to fiftheenth centuries. Height: 11 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: Acquired in Singapore in 1990 from MoonGate, owner Mr K. T. Goh, a famous local antique dealer.

Antique pair of Sino-Tibetan footed silver offering cups. Decorated with repousse floral motifs.

19th century

Dimensions: 2" x 2 1/8" diameter

A long Buddhist religious painting, the top corners with remnants of the fixtures once used for hanging from the ceiling so both paintings are visible. One side of the cloth is painted with hanging human and animal skulls and skins intertwined. Skeletal faces of the Citipati hang amongst the human heads, their skeletal form serving as a reminder of the impermanence of life and eternal change...

Antique Tibetan thangka painting of Green Tara, one of the manifestations of the bodhisattva of protection. The central figure of Green Tara is flanked by bodhisattvas while the Amitabha Buddha is seated directly above her head. Below Tara are a fierce deity with mortal attendants carrying offerings...

An unusually large size bronze rain drum from Laos, a Herger type three drum. Reference material "The Karen Bronze drum of Burma" by Richard M. Cooler. It has an unusual 3 frogs (twelve altogether) on top with a twelve pointed star with continuing concentric circle with stamp decoration. The side has three elephants and three snails representing water and fertility. A globular flared body rises with four attached handles of frog design. Circular concentric pattern continues throughout the body...

A large Indian hand-carved wooden mask of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant headed deity known to be the remover of obstacles. His trunk raised high above its head, with gold pigment eyes staring intensely out from either side of the trunk. His human like mouth gapes open with the tongue sticking out, and the ears carved with an earring on one side. The mask is carved wearing a crown resembling lotus petals. Original polychrome pigments shown in red, blue, and gold...

Antique Tibetan repousse copper hanging ball censer, with iron chain. The depiction is a wrathful deity riding on a Qilin, a chimera with the features of a dragon mixed with a deer, flanked by four smaller deities seated on lotus thrones. One wrathful deity holds a Vajra staff and conch shell, the reverse side deity holds a mace and a Kapala or skull cup containing the elixir of life.

Dimensions: 9" x 9" x 10" (chain 39" long)

Antique Tibetan Buddhist tsakli miniature painting, considered to be an important visual aid for monks in training when conferring empowerments...

Antique Sino-Tibetan repousse hanging censer with iron chain. The hexagonal shaped body has the repeating image of a coiling serpentine dragon with lingzhi clouds of smoke, with inlaid turquoise on each side and touches of gold gilt. The base of the censer with a pomegranate form finial, the top of the censer with a finial in the shape of a fierce deity's head.

Dimensions: 10" w x 20" h (52 1/2" total length w/ chain)

A framed Indonesian tapis, a woman's ceremonial skirt hand-woven with striped and scrolling motifs. Warp ikat, supplementary weft weave, and embroidery with silk thread, gold thread, and mica chip composition.

Late 19th / Early 20th century

Dimensions: 48" x 47 1/2"

Set of five Burmese bronze opium weights in the form of a “Toe,” a mythical creature with a lion face and horse tail and hoofs believed to inhabit the Himalayan forest. Each is on a sloping rectangular base. The larger two have a nine-star flower seal on the side of the base. The largest has a curved handle attached to the back of the head and top of the tail. Generally referred to as opium weights, they were used to measure all types of food and raw materials in the conduct of commercia...

Statue of Buddha, in meditation posture ("dhyana mudra") sitting cross-legged on an elevated throne. Bronze, with green patina. Thailand, Dvaravati period, 7th-9th century. Height: 12.9 cm. Good condition.

Antique Sino-Tibetan cloisonne enamel bronze container in the form of a kapala or skull cup. The lid has a four prong vajra finial, and is decorated with intricate enamel design of floral scrolls, lotuses, waves, and four points around the vajra finial. The container's interior is done in red enamel, and the base is done in white enamel with a red cranial fissure line to emulate a skull. With carved wooden base.

19th Century

Provenance: From the Ashby Collection

Rare Tibetan hand-painted lacquer altar cabinet. Original finish with patina. The front three panels depict three faces. The left face has red skin and green hair with eyes opened wide. The middle face is upside down with eyes coming out of its skull, representing the kapala or skull cup used in sacred Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies. The face on the right is called citipati, representing both the eternal dance of death as well as perfect awareness. Two of the panels are hinged and open to the sp...

Antique hand-woven basket, originating from the Jarai culture in Vietnam. Secured with wood frame, with rope shoulder strap for carrying. Baskets of this kind were primarily used for collecting and storing rice. The lid is woven with concentric circle design.

Dimensions: 13" W x 22 1/2" H

Antique hand-woven bamboo basket, originating from the Jarai culture in Vietnam. Secured with wood frame, baskets of this kind were primarily used for collecting and storing rice. The lid is woven with a tall, wood finial with pierced hole for securing it down with ties. The sides of the basket are woven with alternating darker and lighter bamboo to create a pair of bands over a geometric diamond design, with remnants of red pigments.

Dimensions: 14 1/2" W x 34 1/2" H

Antique Vietnamese polychromed figure of a standing Buddha, with red, black, and gold gilt lacquer traces. He stands on a lotus pedestal atop a wood platform. With small losses consistent with age.

Circa 1900

Dimensions: 7 1/2" w x 6 3/4" d x 17 3/4" h

Antique Tibetan Buddhist ritualistic bone flute, or kangling. The kangling produces a wailing sound, meant to create a mystical atmosphere during tantric rituals. It is played as a gesture of fearlessness and as a way of cutting off the ego. With silver mounts intricately decorated with floral motifs and dragons, inlaid with turquoise. Provenance Ashby Collection.

Dates from 19th century Dimensions: 8 1/2" l x 2 1/2" w

Antique Tibetan Buddhist ritualistic bone flute, or kangling. The kangling produces a wailing sound, meant to create a mystical atmosphere during tantric rituals. It is played as a gesture of fearlessness and as a way of cutting off the ego. With silver mounts intricately decorated with floral scrolls and inlaid with turquoise and coral. Provenance Ashby Collection

19th century Dimensions: 12 1/4" L x 3" W

This is an 18th century, or early 19th century Balinese iron buckle, decorated with serpent motifs with gold inlay. There is some age-related rubbing with associated loss to the inlay, as would be expected. There is an inlaid calligraphic inscription to the back of the "fastener," which I have not had translated. The pieces measure, variously, 2-5/8" X 2-1/2" for the buckle, and 2-1/2" X 1-1/2" for the "fastener." The listing is for both pieces.

An antique Vietnamese jar with covered lid with blue under glaze. The lustrous ivory glaze covers the whimsical 3 blue floral images. The bowl's interior center has splotches of blue paint intermingled with a rust colored paint. The rim is unglazed, as is the small footing. Provenance: Prominant private collection from San Diego, CA

Date: Tran Dynasty (1225 - 1400)

Dimensions: 8" diameter X 7"high

A stunning large sculptural Roof tile with large Bird, Indonesia, Majapahit Empire, 13th.-15th. century AD.

Made with inspiration from the tiles used on imperial buildings during the Chinese Yuan and Ming Dynasties, this tile feature a large and beautiful rendered Bird with large feets, seated with each leg over a turned over V-shaped tile, with fine carved and moulded details to head, wings and tail, as well as large claws. Highly unusual piece and extremely rare!

Majaha...

Head of Buddha with a serene expression. Grey sandstone, with some remnants of the original lacquering and gilding at the back. Ears partly missing, nose restored. Thai Ayuthaya period, 16th/17th century. The head is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Height of the head: 18 cm.

Belt buckle of square shape, with a fine relief geometric decoration. Bronze, with nice age patina. Burma, early 19th century, maybe earlier. Length: 9.5 cm. Height: 6.2 cm. Very good condition.

Antique Thai Iron Standing Buddha, early Ayutthaya period 14th century, heavy oxidation but still delightful. The right hand is raised from the elbow in Abhaya with the hand in Gyan mudra, the left is holding possible a sacred medicine ball. The figure is on tiered square stand, and stands in a thin delicate pose.

Dates Ayutthaya Period 14th Century
Size H 4 7/8" x W 1 3/16" x D 1 1/8"

An antique bronze rain drum with natural patina from the F Knoll Collection. Country of origination is Laos. Top features a bas relief in the concentric circles with families of stacking frogs on each of four positions. Elephant figurals shown marching up to each handle. The center displays a 12 pointed sun.

Age old restoration. Some loss to one frog consistent with its age.

Age: 18th Century-Luang Prabang Period

Dimensions: 20 1/2"" High x 26 1/8" Width x 24 3/4" D...

Kho Noi kiln is one of the Si Satcharanai kilns. This kiln had been making appliances for the loyal family of Skhothai kingdom and the works are very sophisticated among the Sawanakhalok kilns. The color of celadon is very refreshing green and comparable to Chinese one. This piece is stored by a famous collector in Japan with wooden box. There are some small chips at the bottom fringe. No repairs. SIZE D:187mm H:99mm