Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Indian Subcontinent (42)

A large bronze image, cast in two pieces, showing the Tamil deity Aiyanar riding on his horse. The bejewelled cavalier is holding a curved sword and a round shield, wearing decorated bloomers. The stallion with sumptuous harness. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: c. 29.8 cm high, c. 24 cm long, c. 8.8 cm wide, weight: 3.4 kg.

An antique silver box with hinged lid standing on four ball feet and a small silver tray decorated with cloves on four legs. Both items unmarked. Condition: traces of age, minimally distorted, the box with few tiny losses. Dimension: box: c. 13.8 x 7.8 x 3.4 cm, weight: c. 192 g, tray: c. 17.5 x 12 x 3 cm, weight: c. 75 g.

A pair of Tibetan finger cymbals made from cast bell metal. Decorated with incised dragons and double-vajras, interior with vajra, connected by an orange textile strap. With a long-enduring high and clear tone. Condition: traces of age, strap a bit worn. Dimension: diameter: c. 7.5 cm, weight: 356 g.

A Nepalese dagger used in Shamanic and Buddhist rituals, carved from wood with a glossy patina. The handle section in the shape of a vajra with endless knots and three faces, the blade trigonal. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: 21.1 cm long.

A small carved wooden stele from Nepal of a Buddhist or more likely Hindu deity, maybe Indra. Bejeweled god with a fan-shaped crown, seated on a lotus base in lalita-sana under a mandorla. Traces of vermilion. Condition: see photos, wear, and small losses. Dimension: total height: c. 17.3 cm, c. 10.3 cm wide, c. 5 cm deep.

An elegant double-bell shaped Indian spitoon made of zinc alloy, decorated with poppy motifs, inlaid in silver. Condition: few inlay losses (see first and photo No. 11 and 12). Dimension: c. 15.3 cm high, diameter: c. 12.1 cm, weight: 1020 g.

A silver box with hinged lid, standing on four ball feet the base with Arabic inscription. An oblong silver tray on four feet and a fine small dish. Condition: some traces of usage, box not closing completely. Dimension: box: c. 12.6 x 6.9 x 4.4 cm, weight: 211 g, oblong tray: c. 16.5 x 11.5 x 1.2 cm, weight: 148 g, dish: 11 x 0.7 cm, weight: 44 g.

A large Kashmir lidded presentation cup with handles in serpent form. Allover with foliage design. Condition: fine, traces of usage, some wear to tinning. Dimension: c. 36.5 cm high, handle to handle: c. 29.5 cm, weight: 2 kg.

A fine pair of Kashmir lidded jars or vases. The copper base was first engraved with special tools to create the design in relief, the grooves were later filled with glass and then embellished with additional engraving and wonderful shiny gilding. This technique is called in India "meena" or "meenakari" and was first applied by the Mughal. Condition: fine, only one rim with a small dent and minor wear to gilding. Dimension: c. 18 cm high, diameter: c. 12.5 cm, total weight:

Four wonderfully executed oval Indian paintings of Mughal rulers in gouache and gold on paper. Framed behind glass in a gilt wooden frame, in France in the 19th century. The passe-partout with handwritten titles as: "Shah Ichan" (Jahan?), "Shah Alum" (Alam), "Azime Shah" and "Miran Shah". Reverses with the label of the framer. Condition: the frames with traces of usage and age and small losses, one frame damaged. Dimension: portraits: c. 9.5 x 7.5 cm, frames: 24 x 20 cm.

An assemblage of a figural Baluchari silk sari end panel fragment, showing three European men riding on a railway coach, dating around 1800. Edged with a Kashmiri wool shawl fragment. Once framed and possibly sold as souvenir. Mounted on cardboard. Condition: faded and few tiny stains, border with few small losses. Dimension total: 30.6 x 25.3 cm.

An assemblage of a figural Baluchari silk sari end panel fragment, showing five European men riding on double-deck railway coach, dating around 1800. Edged with a Kashmiri wool shawl fragment and edged with linen or cotton. Once framed and possibly sold as souvenir. Mounted on cardboard. Condition: faded, a stain. Dimension total: 30.8 x 25.5 cm.

An assemblage of a figural Baluchari silk sari end panel fragment, showing two nobles on a strange vehicle, dating around 1800. Edged with a yellow Kashmiri or Persian wool shawl fragment, embroidered with boteh pattern. Once framed and possibly sold as souvenir. Mounted on cardboard. Condition: faded, some losses and stains. Dimension total: 25.4 x 20.2 cm.

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.

A pierced fragment of an antique Tibetan or Nepalese torana, worked in copper repousse with remains of gilding and colors. Showing a caparisoned elephant with a snow lion on his back, lifting a deity riding on the mythical beast "sharabha". Condition: wear to gilding, slightly warped. Dimension: 36.5 cm high x 15 cm widw x 2.5 cm deep.

These two saddle rugs, in knotted pile, are forming a pair and were used together: the larger piece with trapezoid ends served as a saddle cloth (makden), while the smaller rug was a saddle cover (masho). Both items are in their original condition, with a red trim and backed with a coarse beige fabric. Provenance: old Swiss collection. Dimension approx.: makden: 120.5 x 67 cm, masho: 82.5 x 66 cm. Condition: signs of age and wear, rims with partial discoloration, faded.

Small Indian deity cast in bronze with a high copper content depicting the dancing god Krishna as a child holding in one hand a butter ball. Condition: patina, traces of usage, rubbed. Dimension: 8.3 cm high.

A small Indian deity cast in bronze with a high copper content, depicting an athletic male deity sitting on a lotus throne holding his hands in anjali mudra and holding a kind of hack. Condition: signs of worshipping, base slightly bent, one underarm with a crack. Dimension: 6.5 cm high.

A rare writing box made of papier-maché with polychrome and gold decoration under a lacquer varnish showing different Hindu gods as Hanuman, Krishna etc. Condition: traces of usage, wear, lacquer and further small losses, some cracking. Dimension: c. 28.5 x 9.5 x 7.7 cm.

A round shaped silver lingam box (ayigalu or shivadhara) with its original chain. A neck amulet once worn by a wealthier lay member of the Lingayat sect in South India. Markings. Here without jangama lingam. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: amulet: c. 6 cm wide x 4.1 cm high, chain: total length: 54 cm, weight total: 97 g.

A North Indian pandan steel casket for offering betel. Of circular form with hinged lid, inlaid with flower scrolls in silver. Condition: interior with some oxidation. Dimension: diameter: 12 cm, 9.3 cm high, weight: 606 g.

A Kashmir papier-mache vase with polychrome and gold lacquer decoration in the Mughal style. Showing couple of birds on a mille-fleurs ground or a golden feather pattern, framed by a mihrab border. The sides with two small handles in the shape of tiger heads. Condition: some chips and losses to the lacquer. Dimension: c. 22.8 cm high.

Two Tibetan stem platters for ritual offerings, made from hardwood with metal sheet. The center decorated with a wheel, one of the eight Buddhist Symbols. Torma are cone shaped ritual food offerings sculpted in a variety of shapes and sizes, mostly made of flour and butter. Condition: traces of usage, one piece with an old repair (was broken in two). Dimension: diameter: c. 19 cm, height: 6 cm and 7.3 cm, weight: 1200 g.

A pair woman's Paduka in fish form, made of hardwood and inlaid with brass wire. Base inscribed "Hindu bath sandals" and "Anna Broadwood". A similar pair in the Bata Shoe Museum Collection in Toronto. Dimension: c. 22 cm long, 8.8 cm wide, total height: 8.4 cm. Condition: few traces of usage, a short section with missing wire (see picture no. 2).

Oval portrait of a young Indian woman, painted on paper in watercolor with white highlights. With velvet covered passe-partout and mounted behind glass in a later European frame. Signed "S.B. Rawoot" and dated 1/7/16 in red. Dimension: painting: c. 27.5 cm x 18.5 cm, frame 41.6 cm x 34.7 cm. Condition: slightly faded, frame with few traces of usage.

A pair decorative Indian brass vases with engraved decoration of carnation tendrils, embellished with red, orange and black enamel. Condition: some traces of usage, few tiny enamel losses. Dimension: 24.9 cm and 25.2 cm high.

A round, convex shield with four central bosses. Decorated with raised design of tendrils, embellished with black and red enamel, and some tin plated areas. Reverse with four attaching bronze rings and a velvet pad. Compare with a similar shield in the Royal Ontario museum. Condition: few losses to enamel and wear to tinned areas, reverse with some residue of solder. Dimension: diameter: 28 cm.

A walking cane or parasol handle made of silver with fine repousse and chased decoration of three ascetics and Lord Krishna playing the flute amidst cottages and trees. With a dated and inscribed cartouche in shield form, top with monogram, unmarked. Condition: one dent, short split, top slightly dented. Dimension: length: 24.3 cm.

A spherical lime container made of copper with scrollwork decoration, chain and spatula in brass. Betel nut chewing accessory, the interior with lime residue. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: diameter: 8.2 cm, chain with spatula: 32 cm long.

Indian demon chaser mask in bronze repousse from Karnataka in five parts: head, headband, ears and a tube within the head to permit the mounting on a pole. Backside with red paint. Please refer for a quite identical mask to: "Ritual Bronzes of Maharashtra and Karnataka" by Leo S. Figiel, M.D.: Fig. 7-65. Condition: traces of usage, back part of the head and headband with some dents. Dimension: 26.2 cm high.

A bulbous holy water vessel for sacred Ganges water used by pilgrims. Made of brass and copper, decorated with six avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu. Made in the technique known as "ganga-jumna" referring to the two great rivers of North India. From a Swiss lady's private collection. Condition: small quite invisible dents. Dimension: 13.4 cm high.

Small Indian mask cast in bronze or brass, finely engraved. Depicting the crowned head of a male deity with bulging eyes and moustache. Karnataka / Maharashtra c. 19th century. From a Swiss lady's private collection. Condition: fine. Dimension: 12 cm high x 12 cm wide x 8.5 cm deep.

A silver milk jug with coriander-leaf design and a cartouche in shield form, probably from Kutch. Unmarked, tested silver. Condition: small area with no design (photo no. 7), handle slightly bent. Dimension: 8.8 cm high, weight: 130 g.

Tibetan altar table made of heavy wood, painted with a three faced and six armed Boddhisattva, the sides decorated with skulls and vajras. Condition: some traces of usage, some losses to paint. Please look at pictures carefully, they make part of the condition report. Dimension: 27.8 cm x 28.5 cm x 6.3 cm, weight: 1005 g.

Antique intricately carved sandalwood card case. Condition: fine, only few tiny rim chips - please look at pictures carefully, they make part of the condition report. Dimension: 10.2 cm x 6.8 cm x 11.3 cm.

A small copper repousse plaque from Nepal or Tibet. Showing a dancing female deity, maybe Tara, holding lotus flowers. Condition: fine. Dimension: 11.2 cm high x 8 cm wide.