Page 44 - Bonhams Indian and Himalayan Art September 2013

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42 | Bonhams A silver mounted chod kapala
Tibet, 17th-19th century
With an embossed silver vajra to the interior, the exterior outer rim with
scalloped foliate panels worked with single grinning skulls at the sides and
visvavajras at the ends.
2 1/4 x 5 3/4 x 7 in. (5.7 x 14.6 x 18 cm)
$4,000 - 6,000

‘Scented’ skullcups are seen in the hands of many wrathful deities.
During tantric meditations these skullcups are filled with an alcoholic
ritual substance visualized by monks as containing 5 corpses and 5 bodily
excretions. The meditation transforms this into ambrosia, parallel to the
transformation of the five delusions into the five wisdoms, and the five
poisons into the five tathagathas.

Provenance:
Private Collection, Los Angeles
Acquired from Leonard Loeb, New York, 1971

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A gilt copper alloy ghanta and vajra
Tibet, circa 18th century
With copper grip inlaid with inset turquoise and a four-pronged vajra finial
with makara detail; the interior with molded “ohm ah hum”; the paired
vajra with lotus grip and makara detail.
Ghanta: 9 6/8 in. (24 cm) high; Vajra: 6 7/8 in. (17.7 cm) long
$3,000 - 4,000

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Two leather Me Chak tinder pouches
Tibet, 19th century
With applied silver and gilt ornamentation and curved iron striking blades,
the larger inset with hardstones, the other with Chinese characters “rú
yuè zhi héng” a reference from the Book of Odes.
5 1/4 in. (13.2 cm), the larger
$1,000 - 1,500