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...

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...

Rare Tibetan antique skull drum called a damaru (or damru). Two skulls make up the two sided drum connected in the middle. Two small beads at the end of thin cords attached in the center beat the drum when it held upright and twisted. A long silk sash (chopen) decorated with two tassels and auspicious symbols hangs from the center. The damaru is a sacred instrument adopted from the Hindu tantric practices of ancient India. The damaru is believed to be an instrument of the Lord Shiva with w...

Antique gilt copper repouse 4 piece crown, painted details, each piece has a seated Buddha with different mudra, back is painted deep red, 19th century, on new custom metal stand. Total Size (with stand): 14" high x 14 1/2" wide x 4 1/2" deep.

Antique Tibetan clay statue of wrathful Dorje Shugden mounted on the back of a white lion with an arch of flames around him, painted in polychrome pigments of green, orange, red, yellow, brown, and gilt. The figure seated atop a lion is standard for the Gelug tradition. This figure / deity is considered mischievous by the Dalai Lama. The sect that worships this type of piece is interestingly not recognized by the Dalai Lama. 19th century Size: 8" H, 6" W

Large antique Tibetan chest/trunk painted with a deep red background in front, with a coiled dragon within a large cloud-shaped border. Red and gold painted flowers with long, deep green stems fray out from behind the dragon and reaches inwards from the sides of the chest, with small green birds perching on either side of the dragon. The front of the chest has a black frame with red, gold, and green puffs of smoke, edged with metal hardware shaped like spears, locking in place with n iron hinge ...

Antique Tibetan hand-carved wooden deity mask of Mahakala, a guardian diety, the fierce and powerful being and counterpart to Kali / Mahakali. His name means "Greater than Time" as he upholds ultimate rule and power over all forces, including time and death. This hand carved mask is indeed very fierce looking, with signs of wear and traces of old lacquer all throughout. Some losses.

Age: 19th century

Size: 10" L x 6" W x 11" H

Tibetan Buddhist monks Hand made folded paper with text and amulets. one side mostly with text and amulets on lower section. other side drawn amulet drawings with text This piece was from a collection gathered in Tibet in the late 60's..aged conservatively from the 1800's

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

Tibetan repousse copper polychrome mask of Yamataka , a horned yak headed deity wearing a crown of three skulls on its head. Gold gilt ground and painted pigment accentuate the expression of the Yamataka mask.

Yamataka is a violent aspect of the Bodhisattva Manjushri, who assumes this form to vanquish Yama, the god of death. By defeating Yama, the cycle of rebirth (samsara) that prevents enlightenment is broken.

Yamakata, who shares many attributes with Mahakala, ...

This Tibetan shrine shaped gau (aka prayer box) is actually a religious shrine. When not being worn as an ornament during festivals, it would be kept in the prayer niche of the family home. The back of the box slides open. Frequently, a special prayer i.e. sutra pages would be placed inside. The small glass window at the front displays a Tsa tsa, which is a clay statue of a Buddhist Diety. These statues were made only by the monks and considered to be a holy relic. This antique gau has a f...

Antique Tibetan Buddhist double mandala thangka, with the two central deities being Brahma and his wife Saraswati.

Brahma is a leading god and heavenly king in Buddhism. Lord Brahma rules over the heavenly realm of rebirth called the Brahmaloka– the most sought after realm for afterlife and reincarnation within the Buddhist belief system. He is depicted as having 4 faces and is seated in the center of the top mandala in a lotus position with his arms folded in front, thumbs touchin...

A Tibetan bronze flaying knife or chopper with a curved steel blade used in rituals by Buddhist Vajrayana priests. The flayer was a symbolic instrument and never used to really chop or flay people. Hence, the blade is dull. The blade has oxidized on both sides and there is some verdigris inside the top of the handle. Measures 6.75 inches x 7" high. Dates 1800's.

Antique Tibetan bronze seated figure of Vajrasattva. Also called Dorje Sempa, Dorje means "indestructible diamond" and Sempa is the Tibetan term for Sattva in Sanskrit meaning "heroic being". Sempa in this case, refers to the role of a Bodhisattva, someone on the road to becoming a Buddha but who has stayed behind, selflessly dedicating themselves to helping others gain enlightenment. Draped in beauty and calm, Vajrasattva sits on a lotus throne with a vajra scepter in one hand and a vajra...

Antique Tibetan bronze vajra dorje. The handle has three heads topped with a horse. The vajra connects the hilt to the head of Makara where a three edged blade is attached. It was made in Tibet in the 19th/20th century, obtained in Kathmandu in the 1960s. It measures 12" long.

Antique bronze statue of the Tibetan Bodhisattva Tara. She is sitting on a pedestal in a Lalitasana posture (one leg folded inwards), and making hand gestures called Mudra, which hold special meaning in Buddhism. Her left hand is shown making the Vitarka Mudra, symbolizing intellectual discussion, and her right hand is making the Varada Mudra to symbolize gift giving. She has a lotus flower wrapped around her body, which symbolizes good fortune and purification of the spirit. The backside of t...

Antique Tibetan Prajnaparamita made of patinated bronze. It has an elaborate crown framing the face with angular facial features. The figure is seated in royal ease pondering a shell in its right hand. The left hand holds a lotus sprig with traces of orange pigment. The figure has traces of prance, red, and yellow pigments. The robes are incised with a floral design. 20th century. It measures 12.25" tall.